Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik addresses the media after a gathering, in Bhubaneswar, on May 9, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on May 9 referred to as on his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik and held a dialogue for round an hour at Naveen Niwas right here.
However, both the CMs claimed that no dialogue on any political alliance between the JD(U) and BJD for the Lok Sabha elections subsequent 12 months was held within the assembly.
Mr. Patnaik and Mr. Kumar had lunch on the Odisha Chief Minister’s residence after which collectively addressed the media, stating they share a really outdated relationship.
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“No discussion was held on any alliance today. I am delighted that Nitish ji came to Bhubaneswar. We are old friends and colleagues ever since we served in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cabinet,” Mr. Patnaik advised reporters.
Mr. Patnaik stated the Odisha authorities will present 1.5 acres of land to Bihar authorities freed from price in Puri for constructing amenities for vacationers coming for darshan of Lord Jagannath.
Mr. Patnaik shared some images from the assembly, and tweeted: “Glad to meet #Bihar Chief Minister Shri @NitishKumar in #Bhubaneswar. #Odisha shares a special bond with Bihar and the people of the neighbouring state. Hope he had a pleasant and fruitful stay in Odisha.” Mr. Kumar stated, “Our relation with his (Naveen) father Biju Babu and Naveen ji is very old. Due to the COVID pandemic, we could not meet. No political discussions were held. We have good relations and there is no need to discuss any politics.” The denial of both leaders of discussing politics comes amid talks of unity amongst non-BJP events forward of subsequent 12 months’s polls.
Earlier within the day, Mr. Kumar was welcomed on the Biju Patnaik International Airport by State minister Ashok Chandra Panda and BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra. He is scheduled to go away Bhubaneswar throughout the day.
Both Mr. Kumar and Mr. Patnaik lead their respective events and it was anticipated that they’d focus on politics forward of the 2024 polls and work in the direction of unity amongst regional events.
Mr. Kumar is against the BJP, whereas Mr. Patnaik’s celebration has claimed that it maintains an equal distance from both the Congress and the saffron celebration.
The Bihar CM, who’s making an attempt to unite anti-BJP politicians, have to this point met leaders of varied events together with his West Bengal counterpart and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal with the goal to kind an opposition entrance.
Ms. Banerjee had met Mr. Patnaik in March this 12 months.
Odisha BJP normal secretary Prithviraj Harichandan stated the assembly between Mr. Patnaik and Mr. Kumar won’t have any affect on the saffron celebration.
“Naveen Patnaik always does whatever is in his interest. If he thinks that joining the third front will help him, he might do so and if he thinks it won’t help, he will not join,” he stated.
BJD MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik stated, “Kumar wants a reformative and alternative front in the country. He may discuss the matter with Naveen Patnaik. But the CM has already cleared that the BJD will maintain equidistance from both the Congress and the BJP.”
