Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday stated the party will go solo in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The 76-year-old leader who enjoys immense popularity among Odisha voters and continues to be at the helm since March 2000, reiterated the BJD’s position of remaining equidistant from both the Congress and the BJP.
When asked if there any possibility of a “third front”, he replied, “As far as I am concerned. Not now.”
His statement comes barely 48 hours after his meeting with Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar. Patnaik described the Tuesday meeting as a “courtesy call”. After the meeting, both Patnaik and Kumar had claimed that no discussions were held on any political alliance between the JD(U) and BJD for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Patnaik, 76, met PM Modi to discuss developmental issues related to his state. The meeting which lasted around 20-25 minutes, Patnaik raised issues related to infrastructure development in the state, including the under-construction Sri Jagannath Airport, incomplete national highways and opening of bank branches in Gram Panchayat which do not have the facility.
Patnaik, who is in Delhi till Friday, also clarified that he has no plans of meeting any other leaders on the current trip.
Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP chief is being approached by prominent Opposition leaders for an alliance to take on the ruling Narendra Modi-led BJP government. His party currently has 12 MPs in the Lok Sabha and eight in Rajya Sabha.
Before Nitish, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee also met him on March 23. The Odisha CM then also ruled out speculation of any future political alliance.