Naveen rules out lending support to UPA

We have not sought BJD support, says Srikant Jena

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ruled out the possibility of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) lending support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre as the later is seeking partners to support its majority in Lok Sabha after Trinamool Congress decided to withdraw support.

“Withdrawal of support by Trinamool Congress (TMC) has put the central government in an unstable and weak position. There is no question of support to the Congress-led UPA government,” the BJD supremo said here.

In the current Lok Sabha, the party has 14 MPs. Patnaik has been maintaining equidistance from UPA and NDA since breaking up tie-up with BJP on the eve of the 2009 election.

The Congress-led UPA government is seeking support of like-minded parties to maintain its majority in the lower house, as the withdrawal of support by TMC has made it a minority government. If the party fails to garner required support, then there is a possibility of mid-term polls ahead of the scheduled one in 2014.

Patnaik said his party is ready for the polls. “BJD will do well with the blessings of the people in any election, whether it is early or not,” he said. However, he declined to talk about possible alliance with any political party for the elections. “Let us see what happens in the future,” he said.

The Congress party on the other hand said it has never sought the support of BJD to run its government at the Centre.

“There is no threat to the central government at all. The parties can talk about anything regarding the withdrawal of support of TMC, but we have never sought the support of BJD,” said Srikant Kumar Jena, Union minister of state for chemical and fertilizers and for statistics and programme implementation.