Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik declares BJD will not be a part of Mahagathbandhan, says 'will continue to maintain equidistance from Congress and BJP'

In what can come as a major setback for the Mahagathbandhan ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha poll, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has cleared the air on the questions being raised on joining the anti-BJP front. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Naveen Patnaik stated that his party BJD will not come in alliance with either the Congress or the BJP party, maintaining to fight solo in the elections.

"As far as the mahagathbandhan is concerned we are not a part of it. We are very clear on our policies. We continue our policy to remain equidistance from the Congress and BJP", the BJD chief said. 

On Tuesday, while participating in a farmers' protest held by his party in Delhi, the BJD chief was asked if he will be joining the Grand Alliance, to which he said, "As far as Mahagathbandhan is concerned, we will take some time and think it over."

In his attempt to form a non-BJP and non-Congress federal front, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had met BJD chief Naveen Patnaik and West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee earlier. 

READ: POLITICAL SCOOP: Shunned Out Of 'Mahagathbandhan', Congress To Go Solo In Uttar Pradesh

This political development has come only a day after the Congress party was shunted out of the 'Mahagathbandhan' in Uttar Pradesh by the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Sources told Republic TV that following the meeting between Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati on Friday, in which they were inclined to give just two seats to Congress while discussing the seat-sharing plan, the grand old party of Indian politics decided to go solo and fight the battle alone in the most electorally significant state of the country.

READ: Red Flag For Rahul Gandhi: After Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav Also Leaves Mahagathbandhan In Tatters By Attacking Congress

Meanwhile, anti-BJP ‘Mahagathbandhan’ of Opposition parties is taking shape ahead of Lok Sabha polls with NCP chief Sharad Pawar and TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu asking some more parties join in the grand alliance.