Bhubaneswar, Oct 24: Ruling out his Cabinet colleague and BJD vice-president Damodar Rout’s proposal of BJD-Congress tie-up, BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday made it clear that the ruling party continues to be equidistant from both the Congress and the BJP.
Patnaik’s reaction came a day after party vice-president Rout said that BJD is ready to join hands with Congress and other secular parties to keep ‘communal forces’ at bay. The BJD supremo, who took it to twitter to place his reaction on Rout’s comment, also said that BJD will continue its fight for the rights of the state.
“BJD is equidistant from Congress & BJP. With the blessings of our people we will continue in our fight for the rights of #Odisha,” the Chief Minister tweeted on the micro blogging site.
Incidentally, the BJD and BJP were alliance partners in Orissa for nine long years – 2000 to 2009. However, BJD walked out of the alliance in 2009 over the Kandhamal riots that saw the killings of several people.
Monday, Rout, who often remains in news for his controversial remarks, created a flutter in the political circle when he said that BJD in its fight against Communal parties like BJP may join hands with Congress and other secular parties.
“If Congress wants to join us in this fight we will welcome,” Rout had said while proposing the age old party to come up with a list of assembly constituencies where it has winning prospect in 2019.
His remarks fuelled speculations of a possible tie-up between BJD and Congress as party’s spokespersons also remained tightlipped on the development and refused to comment making party’s stand unclear.
Meanwhile, sensing that the BJD has distanced itself from his comments, Rout immediately did a volte-face saying that his statement was misconstrued.
Stating that the reaction that he had given Monday was his personal opinion on fighting against communal forces, Dama said that BJD is in a strong position in the state and it doesn’t need alliance with any other party to win the elections.
Reacting to the latest development, Congress leader Debasish Patnaik said Congress had never taken Rout’s comment seriously not the state leaders of the party decide about alliance with other parties. (Post News Network)
