The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today surprised the Third Front leaders by deciding not to attend the meet, which was convened by Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI (M), and attended by eight other parties at New Delhi over formation of strategy to beat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress in upcoming polls.
In Odisha, Chief MInister Naveen Patnaik said that it is still early to join any alliance.
"I think at the moment its early days as I have said before," he told reporters here.
The CPM, however, downplayed the absence of BJD leaders in the meet saying Patnaik had some prior engagement.
"The BJD as you know was present on October 30 convention last year and also in the Parliament meeting on February 5. Naveen Patnaik, the president of BJD, has informed us that because of prior engagements in Odisha he is unable to attend the meeting," said CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat.
Though BJD has made its stand clear over maintaining equal distance from BJP and the Congress, it has not opened its cards about being a partner in the Third Front.
In the past couple of months, several left party leaders have consulted Patnaik over his position on joining the bloc of like-minded parties. However, the BJD supremo has not made his stand clear so far citing premature timing, and possibly hinting at post-poll alliance.
