After spending more than a month in Delhi, former Chief Minister and current Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik returned to his residence ‘Naveen Niwas’ on Friday evening. He had left for the national capital on September 7.

This marks the first time since entering politics that Patnaik has stayed outside Odisha for such an extended period. Sources indicate he travelled to Delhi for complete rest and recuperation.

With the Nuapada by-election approaching, Patnaik’s timely return from Delhi is expected to intensify the heat in state politics, according to political analysts.

Prior to this, Patnaik’s longest absence from Odisha had been 21 days. He had gone to Mumbai on June 20 for treatment of servical arthritis, underwent surgery on June 22, was discharged from the hospital on July 7,

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