Bhubaneswar, Feb. 8 -- As the Biju Janata Dal gears up for a tough fight in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, it is is banking on talismanic leader Naveen Patnaik even as the BJP and Congress hope to breach the bastion of the Odisha party.

Naveen Patnaik maybe pitted against Prime Minister Modi in the battle of the ballot but the two leaders share a wonderful rapport with the BJD often voting with the government on crucial bills.

BJD leader and former IAS officer VK Pandian says that PM Modi and Naveen Patnaik have great mutual respect.

"I would see this from two angles. The relationship between the honourable Prime Minister and the Chief Minister. I have seen them interact from 2011 onwards. I have been with them. One angle i...