BJD likely to forge alliance with BJP

Bhubaneswar: Although there was no formal announcement regarding a pre-poll alliance between the ruling BJD and the Opposition BJP in Odisha, leaders from both the parties hinted at a mutual tie-up before the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

While BJD leaders held a marathon meeting at Naveen Niwas, the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, here on Wednesday, the BJP leaders had a similar meeting in the national capital, discussing election matters, including a potential alliance.

After over three hours of discussion, BJD vice-president and MLA Debi Prasad Mishra acknowledged discussions regarding a possible alliance with the BJP but did not explicitly confirm its formation. ‘’Biju Janata Dal will prioritise the greater interests of the people of Odisha. Yes, there were discussions on the issue (alliance),’’ Mishra told reporters.

Claiming that Odisha had progressed significantly under Naveen Patnaik’s leadership, Mishra emphasised the need to take the State’s development to the next level.

In a press release issued by Mishra and BJD’s senior general secretary Arun Kumar Sahoo, it was stated, ‘’An extensive discussion was held under the leadership of BJD president and CM Naveen Patnaik with the senior leaders of the party regarding the strategy of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly Sabha elections.’’

In the recent elections to the Rajya Sabha from the State, the BJD had supported the candidature of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who had filed his nomination as BJP candidate. Naveen had announced that the BJD supported the candidature of Vaishnaw keeping the interest of the State for the development of Railways and Telecom sectors.

Meanwhile, after a meeting presided over by BJP president J P Nadda in Delhi, senior BJP leader and MP Jual Oram admitted that discussions were held on a pre-poll alliance with the BJD. He, however, said the party’s central leadership would make the final decision on the matter.

‘’Yes, there were discussions on the alliance among other issues. The party’s central leadership will make the final call,’’ Oram, who personally opposed the alliance, said.

Top leaders of the State, including Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, attended the core committee meeting chaired by Nadda.

Both the parties had previously rejected media reports about a potential pre-poll alliance. The BJD national spokesperson, Sasmit Patra, and BJP’s Odisha election in-charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar had dismissed the reports as rumours.

The BJD had an electoral alliance with the BJP from 1998 to 2009 and contested the 1999 and 2004 Assembly elections on a seat-sharing of 84:63 in Assembly and 12:9 Lok Sabha seats respectively and formed the government.

However, prior to the 2009 Assembly elections, the BJD snapped ties with the BJP and decided to go alone in the subsequent three elections -- 2009, 2014 and 2019 and won all the three elections with absolute majority.