Patnaik meets Modi; won't support BJP in RS
He reportedly told Modi that though his Biju Janata Dal (BJD) will play a constructive role but it won't offer issue-based support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre.
"I met the PM today. I told him that the BJD will play a constructive, positive role as far as the central government is concerned," Patnaik told reporters after the meeting.
"However we have made it clear that we won't offer issue-based support to the NDA in the Rajya Sabha," he said.
"We also discussed our long-standing demand for a special status for Odisha," he said.
Patnaik was accompanied by 24 BJD MPs during his meeting with Modi.
He will also meet Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over Odisha package later on Monday.
Pertinently, the BJD won 20 of the 21 seats in Odisha in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.