RS dy chairman poll: Naveen keeps cards close to chest

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up BJD president Naveen Patnaik today seeking his party's support for the NDA candidate in the election to the post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairman tomorrow, but the Odisha chief minister preferred to keep the cards close to his chest.

Modi telephoned Patnaik when the latter was attending an investment meet in Mumbai and asked for support of the nine BJD MPs to the NDA candidate - Harivansh Narayan Singh of the JD(U), BJD sources said here.

Patnaik, however, has not given him any assurance regarding the BJD's stand.

"Patnaik is likely to announce the BJD's stand on the election to the post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairman an hour before the voting tomorrow," the sources said.

The party would keep in mind its policy of maintaining equal distance from both the Congress-led UPA and BJP-led NDA while making a decision, the sources said.

After JD(U) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar sought his party's support yesterday, BJD spokesman Sasmit Patra had said Patnaik would decide on the the party's stand today.

NDA candidate Harivansh met the BJD's Rajya Sabha members in Parliament today and sought their support, the party leader in Rajya Sabha Prasanna Acharya told PTI over the phone.

Asked if the UPA candidate, B K Hariprasad, also met the BJD MPs, Acharya said, "No."