New Delhi: Amid speculations, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi Thursday and clarified various theories regarding forging an alliance at the national level ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Responding to a question regarding motive of his meeting with Modi and likelihood of his party joining Opposition leaders ahead of general elections, Patnaik said, “I have not discussed anything with the Prime Minister in this connection. As far as I am concerned there is no possibility of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) joining a third front as of now.”
“Going alone in the Assembly and Parliament elections has always been our principle,” he added.
Naveen said that the state’s demands and the upcoming international airport in Puri dominated the discussions with the Prime Minister.
“I have just met the Prime Minister. The topic of discussion was mainly about Odisha’s demands which include an international airport – the Shree Jagannath International Airport which we want to set up in Puri,” said Patnaik while speaking to newsmen after his meeting with Modi.
“Bhubaneswar airport is getting too much traffic now. So we definitely want an expansion. We have already outlined the boundary of the proposed airport in Puri,” he said.
It can be mentioned here that the state government has already identified 1,200 acres of land in Sipasarubali mouza for the international airport. However, there is an impediment as a portion of the proposed airport’s land comes under forest area and CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone).
Earlier, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the establishment of a world-class airport in Puri dated January 1, 2022.
PNN
