CM Naveen says BJD equidistant from Congress and BJP

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik put all speculations of a BJD-Congress alliance to rest by saying the ruling party continues to be equidistant from both the Congress and the BJP in a tweet today. Reacting to a statement by BJD vice-president and minister Damodar Rout that BJD is ready to join hands with Congress to put up a fight against BJP, Naveen said BJD will continue its fight for Odisha while keeping distance from the Opposition parties.

On Monday, Rout had raised many an eyebrow by openly saying that if Congress wants to join the BJD to counter the BJP's ‘communal agenda’ then the ruling party is ready to accept them. On Tuesday however, Rout added that even though BJD continues to maintain its distance from the Opposition parties, he had suggested the alliance only in context of defeating BJP. “I have always been a protestor of Congress’ neglect of Odisha,” he declared today.

Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda had also remarked that it was difficult to accept the possibility of alliance between the Congress and the BJD.

Hinting towards Agriculture Minister Rout's comments on BJD's possible alliance with the national party, Panda took to twitter and wrote, "Those of us who assisted in founding the party to undo the gross damage to Odisha by them in '80s/'90s will find this difficult to swallow."

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