Special category state status: NCP backs BJD

BHUBANESWAR: The State unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has supported the demand to accord special category state status to Orissa. Former MLA and NCP State president Utkal Keshari Parida has thanked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for raising the demand in the meeting of the five eastern states convened by the Planning Commission in Patna on Monday. Parida has proposed that the Chief Minister should try to unite people of Orissa irrespective of political parties and lead a campaign to achieve the demand.   The non-Congress and non-BJP political parties in the State have been demanding special category state status to Orissa for long.    It was also a key issue for BJD at the time of its formation. The NCP president alleged that the NDA government at the Centre had ignored the demand like the earlier Congress governments.   Parida said though the NDA government had rejected the demand, the BJD, a partner in the coalition, had not raised its voice. He said the NCP still supports the demand. Parida announced that the NCP would support the BJD if the regional party launched a Statewide campaign for achieving the demand.