WB-BJD-PANDA

Former BJD MP Baijayant Panda on

Thursday said the party's stand about continuing equidistance

from both the BJP and the Congress in the coming polls is for

public consumption and its voting pattern in Parliament would

tell it all.

BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik

Wednesday announced that his party would continue with the

policy of equidistance from the BJP and the Congress and not

join any grand alliance the opposition parties are trying to

form before general elections.

"This equidistance policy is for public consumption.

You should not be carried away by public statement by the

BJD chief," Panda told PTI on the sidelines of an event here.

"If you look at BJD's voting record in the parliament

you will see there is a particular pattern to it. That is what

the reality is," he said without elaborating.

Suspended by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for "anti-party

activities" on January 24 last year, Panda resigned from it on

May 28.

About forming his own party, the two-time MP from

Kendrapara in Odisha said, "That is one of the possibilities.

I will decide soon.... Many people are asking me to do that. I

will have to evaluate if many of the national parties are

serious about fighting corruption and crime in Odisha."

Earlier in the evening, Panda attended the launch of

his book "Lutyens' Maverick: Ground realities, Hard choices

and Tomorrow's India".

"In the 18 years that I served in the Parliament, I

have tried to keep a foot in Delhi and resolutely another foot

back in my constituency, state and country.

"I think often that there tend to be two worlds that

don't understand each other and don't always talk in the same

language.

"It is crucial for all whether they are in media,

politics or are from any other walk of life to bridge the gap

and that is what I have tried to convey in my book," he said

at the book launch session organised by Indian Chamber of

Commerce.