The BJD on Thursday claimed that the CPI and the CPI(M) want Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to take leadership of the proposed Third Front.The claim was made by BJD vice-president and Revenue Minister Surjya Narayan Patro here.
Asked whether the BJD would project Patnaik as the future Prime Minister, Patro said, “let the General Elections of 2014 be completed. The party will take the right decision at the right time.”
CPI National leader AB Bardhan had recently met Patnaik and requested him to take leadership of the proposed Third Front while CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury had also made a similar request in the past.
While addressing the BJD’s foundation day meeting here on December 26 and some other meetings later, Naveen Patnaik had said a Third Front is the only alternative as the Congress is “corrupt” and the BJP “communal”.