Third front buzz: Naveen Patnaik says nothing discussed as yet

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday said nothing has been discussed as yet on forming an opposition front ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Patnaik’s statement came ahead of his scheduled “courtesy meeting” with Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday.

Asked whether any discussion on forming a ‘third front’ is on the cards with the West Bengal chief minister, the BJD president told reporters: “Nothing has been discussed as yet.” The TMC has decided to maintain distance from both the BJP and the Congress and Banerjee last week held a meeting with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in Kolkata.

The SP is also following a policy of maintaining equidistance from the two major political camps.

The TMC supremo reached Odisha on Tuesday evening on a three-day visit during which she will also offer puja at the Jagannath temple in Puri.

Before leaving for Bhubaneswar, Banerjee told reporters at the Kolkata airport that she will hold a "courtesy meeting" with Patnaik.

Also Watch: BJP MLA Vijender Gupta suspended from Delhi Assembly: Speaker Ram Niwas Goel