Orissa chief minister and the BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Thursday left for a two-day visit to Chennai amidst speculation that he might hold talks with the AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa to decide on a “non-UPA” and “non-NDA” candidate for the forthcoming presidential elections.
On Friday morning, Mr Patnaik along with Ms Jayalalithaa will lay the foundation stone for Orissa Bhawan in Chennai.
After the ceremony, both the leaders are likely discuss the crucial issue, sources in the ruling BJD said.
The CM was originally scheduled to visit Chennai on April 6, but had to postpone it ostensibly because the Maoist-perpetrated hostage crisis.
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Karuna: I am responsible for south leaders becoming Prez
Chennai, May 10: DMK chief M. Karunanidhi on Thursday claimed that he was among many several southern leaders who had helped personalities from the region become Presidents.
“People like Dr Radhakrishnan, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, V.V. Giri, R. Venkataraman, Abdul Kalam and K.R. Narayanan from the south had occupied the post. And I have been one among the many responsible for this,” Mr Karunanidhi said in a statement here.
He was reacting to a report which held the DMK responsible for changing certain traditions adopted in the election of President. — PTI