Pawar to address rallies with Naveen Patnaik

After missing out from the much-hyped Biju Janata Dal-Nationalist Congress Party-Left rally in Bhubhaneshwar last week, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar is slated to address four poll meetings in Orissa along with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday, party sources said.

Though Pawar is scheduled to address election meetings with Patnaik, there was no plan to include leaders of Left parties, with which ruling BJD has entered into seat adjustments in the Maratha strongman's rallies.

Pawar could not attend the BJD-NCP-Left rally on April 3

due to a technical snag in his aircraft. The NCP supremo's absence at the rally sparked off speculation that Pawar deliberately skipped the rally due to pressure from the Congress leadership, which was opposed to his sharing dais with Left leaders.

Though Left leaders would not be present at the Naveen- Pawar rallies, leaders of Communist Party of India and CPM are likely to take part in a joint press meet scheduled to be held on Tuesday evening, CPM state secretary Janardan Pati said.