Badri Patra Slams Party Colleagues Over Claims On BJD Forming Govt In Odisha With Congress Help

Bhubaneswar: Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Badri Narayan Patra took a dig at certain party colleagues for making claims about the regional party a possible alliance with Congress to form government in Odisha by ousting BJP from power.

While terming such ideas as unrealistic, the former Minister questioned the legitimacy of such claims within the BJD and said he is unaware of any plan for tie-up with Congress.

The senior leader also sought to know whether these leaders who are making claims about BJD coming back to power with Congress help have been authorised by party president Naveen Patnaik to make such statements.

Stating that BJD has been maintaining equal distance from both BJP and Congress, Patra told reporters that any alliance with Congress is ruled out.

“We were never with Congress and we never will. BJD also have no connection with BJP. We have always maintained distance from them. I don’t know who is spreading such rumours and creating confusion through such unrealistic utterances,” the former Minister said.

“I cannot understand what are they gaining by making such statements. In fact, people making such statements are the ones who are getting humiliated. I do not know if they are authorised to make such statements by Naveen Patnaik,” said Patra.

Notably, some BJD leaders, including Munna Khan, Debashish Samantaray, and Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, had recently expressed optimism about the party’s return to power with the help of Congress.