While Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has triggered a fresh debate on the possibility of a Third Front government at the Centre aftermath 2014 polls, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has refused to open his cards, saying he would prefer to wait and watch the developments.
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Talking to the reporters during his five-day Delhi visit, Naveen said, “We will wait and watch and see how things develop in the coming days before taking a final call on it”. Political pundits believe that Naveen may prefer to join hands with the BJP, with which he shared a nine-year-long relationship before parting ways ahead of 2009 polls. That proved a disaster for the BJP in Odisha, as the party could win just six seats in Odisha Assembly and failed to win a single Lok Sabha seat in the state.
The Congress Party may try to woo Naveen Patnaik with a special status offer, but it would be difficult for the BJD supremo to bite that bait, as the former remains his “Enemy No. 1” in Odisha. However, he may join a Third Front, if it emerges stronger in national politics with people like Mulayam, Sharad Pawar and Chandrababu Naidu at the helm.