New Delhi, Mar 6: In what can be termed as a significant political development, Congress leader
and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday met Biju Janata Dal leader
Bhartruhari Mahtab in the Lok Sabha and tried to speak about Odisha politics.
The interaction took place when several MPs were protesting in the House of the People raising respective demands.
In fact, Ms Gandhi crossed over to the BJD benches and was seen talking to Mr Mahtab for several minutes.
When contacted, Mr Mahtab declined to divulge details but said it was more about 'floor coordination in the House.'
The meeting between the UPA chairperson and Mr Mahtab, a trusted aide of BJD chief and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, assumes significance as the development comes amid efforts by regional players like Trinamool Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) to cobble together a new front.
Moreover, lately Congress has lost its ground considerably in Odisha where the anti-BJD vote went to the BJP.
The vote share of Congress dropped from 33 per cent a few years back to 12 pc while that of Saffron party has surged from 18 pc to 31 pc. The BJD has maintained 43-44 per cent of its share.
On the fresh move made by TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and Mamata Banerjee of Trinamool Congress to float a new front, Mr Mahtab told 'It is a very good idea and we will see how it evolves.'
He further said the BJD is however, firm about maintaining 'equi-distance from both the BJP-led NDA and Congress-led UPA and our party is in favour of genuine federal front of regional parties.'
At the national level, he said his party does not mind sitting in the opposition but will not compromise either with the BJP or the Congress.
Mr Mahtab said the BJP's efforts to fight and marginalise all opposition, parties including the Congress and regional forces, was 'undemocratic'. UNI
The interaction took place when several MPs were protesting in the House of the People raising respective demands.
In fact, Ms Gandhi crossed over to the BJD benches and was seen talking to Mr Mahtab for several minutes.
When contacted, Mr Mahtab declined to divulge details but said it was more about 'floor coordination in the House.'
The meeting between the UPA chairperson and Mr Mahtab, a trusted aide of BJD chief and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, assumes significance as the development comes amid efforts by regional players like Trinamool Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) to cobble together a new front.
Moreover, lately Congress has lost its ground considerably in Odisha where the anti-BJD vote went to the BJP.
The vote share of Congress dropped from 33 per cent a few years back to 12 pc while that of Saffron party has surged from 18 pc to 31 pc. The BJD has maintained 43-44 per cent of its share.
On the fresh move made by TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and Mamata Banerjee of Trinamool Congress to float a new front, Mr Mahtab told 'It is a very good idea and we will see how it evolves.'
He further said the BJD is however, firm about maintaining 'equi-distance from both the BJP-led NDA and Congress-led UPA and our party is in favour of genuine federal front of regional parties.'
At the national level, he said his party does not mind sitting in the opposition but will not compromise either with the BJP or the Congress.
Mr Mahtab said the BJP's efforts to fight and marginalise all opposition, parties including the Congress and regional forces, was 'undemocratic'. UNI
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