Bhubaneshwar:  Biju Janata Dal (BJD) said it will no longer adhere to its official policy of maintaining “equal distance” from both the BJP and the Congress . Naveen Patnaik-led party added that it is ready to support any party that can guarantee to protect Odisha’s interest.

BJD vice-president and minister S N Patro said that the party will give up its official policy of not siding with the BJP or the Congress. He further added that the party will support any front which is ready to give special status to Odisha. Patro further said that BJD will play a special role in national politics.   

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The Special status for Odisha has been a major poll issue for the BJD as well as CM Naveen Patnaik. BJD walked out of the NDA alliance ahead of the 2009 elections over seat sharing dispute and called the saffron party as “communal”.

BJD had a 10 year long alliance with the BJP and both the parties were in coalition in the state from 2000 to 2009. Ahead of the election D-Day, all eyes will be on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s May 23 meeting.

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 while Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav could be the most prominent faces of this meeting, regional heavyweights like Naveen Patnaik and K Chandrashekhar Rao are also being approached.