In the wake of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s decision of pulling out of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo and Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday ruled out his party’s support to the Congress led UPA government at the Centre.
“The BJD will not certainly support Congress,” Mr. Patnaik told reporters while replying to a question on his party’s stand after DMK’s decision of pulling out of the UPA government.
The BJD supremo, who after severing decade-long ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, had been maintaining equi-distance from both the parties.
“BJD being a regional party is working for the interest of Orissa and will not support either NDA or UPA at the Centre,” Mr. Patnaik had told reporters immediately after the 2009 general election.
The BJD, a regional outfit with 14 MPs, is considered as a potential group which can come to the rescue of UPA after DMK’s pull out.
The speculation regarding BJD’s possible support was rife after party’s senior MP and chief strategist Pyari Mohan Mohapatra on Sunday indicated that the regional party could discuss on the issue.
“No one has approached us so far. If any proposal (for support) comes, we will discuss amongst ourselves and consider,” Mr. Mohapatra had said.
Of the 21 Lok Sabha seats from Orissa, six are held by Congress and one by Communist Party of India.
