Naveen Patnaik Meets PM Modi; Puts To Rest Rumors Of Third Front Formation

New Delhi: Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, a day after his meeting with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Bhubaneswar. While Kumar’s meeting with Patnaik was seen as an attempt to forge a Third Front ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Patnaik dismissed such speculations after his meeting with PM Modi.

Speaking to the media, Patnaik stated that “there is no possibility of a Third Front as far as I am concerned.” He also discussed issues related to Odisha’s demands, including the establishment of an International Airport in Puri and the expansion of Bhubaneswar airport due to increasing traffic. Patnaik said that the Prime Minister assured him of his full support in these matters.

It is important to highlight that the Odisha state government has identified 1,200 acres of land in Sipasarubali mouza for the construction of an international airport in Puri. However, there is a hurdle as a small portion of the proposed airport falls under a forest area and CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone).

Nitish Kumar, who ended his alliance with the BJP last year and has since been working to form a ‘united opposition’ ahead of the 2024 elections, has been meeting with various political leaders across the country, including Mamata Banerjee, Rahul Gandhi, and Arvind Kejriwal.

Patnaik, who is one of the longest-serving Chief Ministers in the country, has remained equidistant from both the Congress and the BJP, despite being a former ally of the latter.