Not approached by anyone over Presidential elections: Patnaik

Patnaik, who is on a three-day visit to Delhi since Monday, visited the Parliament on Tuesday and interacted with Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha over various issues of state interest.

Interacting with reporters, Patnaik said, “I have come to Parliament to meet my party MPs and to take up the developmental schemes of Odisha.”

When asked whether there should be a consensus between the government and opposition over a presidential candidate, Patnaik said, “I haven’t given a thought to it. There is time for presidential elections and no one has approached us so far.”

Party national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Dr Sasmit Patra said, “In our meeting with the CM…various issues of state interest were discussed. He also met MPs from other parties but there was no formal interaction or meeting as such,”

Patnaik is expected to meet senior BJP leaders and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The party, however, declined to comment on his schedule. He is also likely to hold discussions with BJP leaders as three of the seats will fall vacant in July with BJD Rajya Sabha members Prasanna Acharya, N Bhaskar Rao and Sasmit Patra set to retire. And one seat held by Subash Chandra Singh, who won the mayoral election recently, will fall vacant after he resigns.