Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik would not attend the swearing-in of HD Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru today, a BJD leader said stressing that the party chief did not attend any such functions.
BJD general secretary Arun Kumar Sahoo said the party maintained an equal distance from both the Congress and the BJP.
"Therefore, it is obvious that the BJD, a purely regional outfit, has nothing to do with the national parties like the Congress and the BJP," he said.
On Patnaik not attending the event, Sahoo said, "For the last 18 years, the chief minister has not attended the swearing in ceremony in any other state. He is also busy with the second phase of 'Save Mahanadi' campaign launched by the BJD as well as the state government's Ama Gaon Ama Bikas programme."