Naveen Patnaik, Jayalalithaa keep options open on supporting Modi

“No such thought has been given. No decision has been taken at the moment. We will see in the future,” Patnaik told reporters here when asked whether he would support NDA if Odisha is granted ‘special' category status.

When referred to the talk that NDA is the “best alternative”, he replied, “I don't know about that. But I want to state clearly no thought (has been given) and no decision has been taken about any alliance.”

He noted that BJD's policy has been to “keep equi-distance both from the BJP and the Congress”.

However, BJD's chief whip Pravat Tripathy said, “Keeping in view the opinion of the whole country and the state's interest, there should be no problem in providing conditional support to NDA to form government at the Centre.”