Minorities won't be happy with Modi's elevation: Patnaik

In an interview to CNN-IBN, Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal Chief Naveen Patnaik reiterated his stand that the Third Front would be an alternative to the BJP and the Congress in 2014. 

Naveen Patnaik said it was too early to decide on the leadership of the third front but a federal front would be a better alternative.

Transcript of the interview

Formation fo a Third Front

"My party is equidistant from both the BJP and the Congress. The Third Front will be a healthy alternative, but it is too early to discuss that option."

Offering an alternative

"It's too early; the election is still a year away. Let's see what pans out."

Modi's elevation

"That's an internal matter of the BJP."

"The minorities will not be happy with this kind of an elevation."

...

L K Advani's resignation

"These events in BJP are the internal matters of the party; I won't like to speculate further."

Joining the National Democratic Alliance

"We will not be a part of the NDA. We are distant from the BJP."

Joining hands with Congress (Rahul's leadership)

"We are equidistant from both the BJP and the Congress. If you are asking about Rahul Gandhi, politically his report card has been dismal in Bihar and UP."

Failure of Third Front experiment in the past

Let's wait and see. That would be a healthy matter if a federal structure or Third Front comes to power.

Leader of Third Front

I don't see myself as potential prime minister. Let's wait and see what happens after the election.

...

Special status for Odisha

"It's Odisha's just demand to get a special category status. We are having a political meeting on Wednesday and after that we will carry one crore signatures of the people of Odisha to the President with a memorandum for that demand."

A kingmaker in 2014

"I should not like to comment on that matter right now. Let's see what happens after the election and the numbers break."

Instability

"One should wait and see the situation before any reaction."

Prime ministerial candidate for 2014

"I don't think I can comment now on that. Let us see who has the potential later and also to govern the country properly."

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