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New Delhi: Amid moves by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee for a "federal front", Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday said his party BJD would "certainly look" at the option if such a front comes up.
"If a federal front comes up, we will certainly look into that because we are secular and democratic. But it is early days yet," he told reporters here to a poser.
However, he said he has not talked to anyone about such an alliance. He was asked if he and Mamata have had discussions on this.
"I have not really spoken to anyone but let's see what happens," he said.
Patnaik had yesterday told PTI that the formation of the front of regional parties "will be a healthy thing for the country".
He also made it clear that he will have no truck either with Congress or BJP.
The Chief Minister, who led a delegation of BJD MPs and MLAs to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to submit a memorandum to the President with one crore signatures demanding special category status to Odisha, said there should not be any political bargaining in granting special category status.
"Special category status to deserving states is a constitutional right of the state. There should not be any political bargaining on this. There is no room for bargaining in the constitution," he said.
The Chief Minister earlier in a rally here accused the Centre of following a policy of "political discrimination" in grant of central assistance.
Asked about the discussion with the President, he said "the President heard us out and said he would submit our request to the government."
