BJD equidistance policy is for public consumption: Panda

Former BJD MP Baijayant Panda on Thursday said the party's stand about continuing equidistance from both the BJP and the Congress in the coming polls is for public consumption and its voting pattern in Parliament would tell it all.

BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday announced that his party would continue with the policy of equidistance from the BJP and the Congress and not join any grand alliance the opposition parties are trying to form before general elections.

"This equidistance policy is for public consumption. You should not be carried away by public statement by the BJD chief," Panda told PTI on the sidelines of an event here.

"If you look at BJD's voting record in the parliament you will see there is a particular pattern to it. That is what the reality is," he said without elaborating.

Suspended by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for "anti-party activities" on January 24 last year, Panda resigned from it on May 28.

About forming his own party, the two-time MP from Kendrapara in Odisha said, "That is one of the possibilities. I will decide soon.... Many people are asking me to do that. I will have to evaluate if many of the national parties are serious about fighting corruption and crime in Odisha."