Orissa chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik’s reticence on the proposal for formation of a separate front as an alternative to the Congress-led UPA and BJP-backed NDA seems to be reflecting his party’s dilemma on the issue.
Whether or not to say “yes” to Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee’s proposal for a “federal front” has left the party in the lurch.
The BJD thinks its association with the Left parties for over a decade will be in jeopardy if it joins the proposed front.
The Left parties, despite some of their frontline leaders being arrested by the ruling BJD for leading anti-Posco movement, have clung to the alliance.
Despite Ms Banerjee’s plan to enrol Mr Patnaik in the proposed front, regional satraps might rethink to join a platform in which the BJD is partner.
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BJP wants nitish to seek fresh mandate
age correspodent
PATNA, JUNe 15
BJP leaders in Bihar, many of whom were till a month ago keen to be the first to pull out of the JD(U)-led coalition government in the state due to the regional ally’s anti-Narendra Modi stand, now want the JD(U) to be the first to pull out.
In the meetings the BJP leaders have held in the past three days since ties with the JD(U) worsened, the consensus that has emerged each time is also that CM Nitish Kumar must first resign and seek a fresh mandate instead of running the government with the support of four independent leaders.