BHUBANESWAR: Amid prevailing suspense over alliance between the BJD and the BJP, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s remarks that rumours and lies are bad in politics has created ripples in the political circles here.
The cryptic remark by the chief minister came in response to a question from 5T chairman VK Pandian in a social media post on Saturday evening.
In a story posted on his Instagram handle, Pandian asked the CM what he deemed bad in politics. “Rumours and lies are very bad things in politics” was Naveen’s reply.
Though the chief minister’s comments did not point towards alliance negotiations between the two parties, BJD sources said, it was directed at the constant denial by state BJP president Manmohan Samal and Odisha in-charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar about talks between the two parties.
The public posturing by the two BJP leaders notwithstanding, sources said, alliance formation process is right on track between the top leaderships of the BJD and BJP. “The CM’s remark was against the peddling of falsehood by the state BJP leaders,” asserted the BJD sources.
In this background, the remark of the chief minister seems well-calibrated. Developments at the national level also point towards a big development after the return of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the national capital on Sunday.
With BJP’s negotiations with TDP over, sources pointed out that the final words on alliance with the BJD will come next. All the eyes will be on the NDA dinner where the BJP might display its show of strength, flanked by all the new allies such as TDP-Jana Sena Party, JD (U), Eknath Shinde group as well as the Ajit Pawar faction. It, of course, will have the BJD, sources said.
A senior BJD leader told The New Indian Express that none except the top leadership of both the parties is aware of the exact workings of the negotiation.
Meanwhile, senior BJD leader Nrusingha Charan Sahu told mediapersons that the regional outfit agreed to the alliance in the interest of the state. The BJD will win over 110 seats regardless of the alliance, he said. “We too are hearing about the alliance but the chief minister will take a final call,” he added.
