BJD's push to project Patnaik as PM nominee

In an interesting development, senior ruling Biju Janta Dal (BJD) leaders have started floating party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s name as a possible prime ministerial nominee in the event of a hung Lok Sabha, after the general elections results are out on May 23.

Patnaik himself, as well as several of his senior party leaders, have been insisting since the beginning of the campaign for the ongoing polls that the two national parties – the BJP and Congress – will not be able to get the majority to form the next government at the Centre. They believe that the regional parties, including BJD, will play a key role in the formation of the new government.

Triggering a ripple in the state’s political circles, Surya Narayan Patra, the vice president of the regional outfit and state food supplies and consumer welfare minister, said that Patnaik was the best candidate to be the next prime minister of the country.

“The people of India and Odisha want Naveen Patnaik to be the prime minister of the country,” the senior minister, who had also worked with Patnaik’s father and former chief minister, the late Biju Patnaik, told reporters here.

Patra nevertheless went on to say that if Patnaik gets an opportunity to head a coalition government at the Centre, he should not do that with the Congress’ support. “There are instances in the past of Congress pulling out the support from such coalition governments at will,” he said.

The senior BJD leader’s comments come at a time when there is sufficient evidence to suggest that both BJP and Congress have been trying to woo Patnaik, who has generated much interest in the state’s political circles.

In the last few days Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed by BJP national president Amit Shah have praised the Odisha chief minister for his relief and rehabilitation efforts in the state post cyclone Fani.

Similarly, senior Congress leader and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, a long-time personal friend of Patnaik, reportedly had a telephonic conversation with the latter over the possible political developments in New Delhi post the May 23 results.