Naveen says big ‘no’ Nitish Kumar’s ‘third-front’ move, BJD to go to polls alone
By Nalini Sahu
New Delhi, May 1: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday ruled out any possibility of joining the Bihar CM-led move to form a ‘third front’ to fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, the Odisha CM, when asked to clarify his position on Nitish Kumar’s move to raise a front against the BJP and his party’s possibility of joining it, said, “No, not as far as I’m concerned… not now.”
On May 9, the Bihar CM had flown to Bhubaneswar to meet his ‘best friend’ and ‘ex- Union cabinet colleague’ Naveen Patnaik. Both the leaders exchanged pleasantries and had their lunch together at the latter’s residence.
After their lunch, the Bihar CM had said, “We have very good friendship and relationship as old colleagues in the Atal Bihar Vajpayee government at the Centre. Our bond is so strong there is no need to talk politics or about any alliance when we are meeting post the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Mr Kumar’s remark had fuelled speculation that the Odisha CM, who has been maintaining the “principle of equidistance” with regard to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, might join hands with the former.
However, the astute Odisha’s CM’s remark has put a spanner on Mr Kumar’s move to get all the opposition leaders under one umbrella.
To another query if his party will fight the 2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections alone, the CM said, “That has always been our principle.”
Naveen, who is currently on a three-day trip to the national capital, dismissed the possibility of meeting any other political leaders during this time.
During his interaction with PM Modi, Naveen discussed the early completion of Sri Jagannath Airport in pilgrim city Puri.
“The boundary wall work of the airport has been completed. Since Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar is now experiencing traffic jams, I sought the cooperation of the PM for early completion of the airport at Puri,” said the CM.
