As expected in political circles, the Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Thursday outright ruled out any alliance of his regional party with the Congress.
“There is no question at all of any alliance with the Congress. The Congress has always neglected the people of Odisha,” Patnaik told reporters after addressing a public meeting in Baleswar district.
Patnaik’s reaction came in the wake of a statement by BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab on Wednesday.
Mahtab, who is the BJD’s parliamentary party leader in the lok Sabha, had said, “Our position is that we may reconsider our stand of equidistance from both the Congress and the BJP. Politics is dynamic and nobody is
untouchable.”
Mahatab indicated that the BJD is willing to join a grand alliance against the
BJP.
BJD MP Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo on Thursday said, “We (the BJD) are maintaining equidistance from both BJP and Congress.”