Naveen Patnaik's leadership for Third Front: Left

BHUBANESWAR: The ruling BJD in Odisha today claimed that CPI and CPI(M) wanted Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to take leadership of the proposed Third Front.

"Two Left parties, CPI and CPI(M) want that Naveen Patnaik take leadership of the proposed Third Front after the general elections in 2014," BJD Vice-President and Revenue and Disaster management minister Surya Narayan Patro told reporters here.

Asked whether the BJD would project Patnaik as the future Prime Minister, Patro said "Let the general elections of 2014 be completed. The party will take right decision at the right time."

CPI veteran A B Bardhan had recently met Patnaik and requested him to take leadership of the proposed Third Front while CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury had also made a similar request in the past.

Another BJD Vice-President and Health minister Damodar Rout had said that the Third Front would take a decision on whom to make the Prime Minister and added that the 'clean image' of Patnaik was better than many other leaders at the national level.

While addressing his party's 17th foundation day meeting here on December 26, Patnaik had said that the Third Front was the only alternative as the Congress was 'corrupt' and the BJP 'communal'.

Though he openly advocated the Third Front, Patnaik was yet make it clear whether he would join it.