Ahead of the Presidential election in July, Odisha ruling BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday said he has been invited to the Rashtrapati Bhavan for lunch on Friday. He, however, clarified that his party has not taken any stand on the ensuing election.
“I have been invited for lunch by the President tomorrow,” Patnaik said before leaving for the national capital.
Asked about the purpose of President Pranab Mukherjee’s invitation, Patnaik said, “No purpose is indicated in the invitation. The BJD has not taken any stand on the ensuing Presidential election.”
Patnaik said that during his visit to Delhi, he would meet the Union Power Minister and attend the Non-Resident Odia (NRO) Conference on Friday which would be inaugurated by the President.
The invitation to Patnaik ahead of the Presidential election assumes significance as his party has 28 MPs in Parliament besides enjoying support of an Independent Rajya Sabha member.
This apart, the BJD has 117 MlAs out of the total 147. Therefore, the BJD could play a vital role in the Presidential election.
Patnaik, during the previous Presidential election in 2012, had opposed the Congress-supported Pranab Mukherjee. He, along with the then AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, had made late PA Sangma as the candidate in the Presidential poll, but Sangma lost the battle.