Odisha: Suspension Continues Over BJD-BJP Alliance Amidst Speculation of Both Parties Insisting for More Seats
MARCH 8: Bhubaneswar: Suspense over a possible alliance between Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and its rival Bharatiya Janata Party continued on Friday as reports suggest no consensus was reached between the two parties over seat sharing.
According to reports, the BJP wants 14 of the 21 seats for the Lok Sabha. Similarly, the BJD is claiming to contest more than 100 of the 147 assembly seats. The BJP is insisting to contest at least from 63 assembly seats.
State BJP leaders, including state president Manmohan Samal, have been camping in Delhi since Wednesday to discuss upcoming election strategy and alliance, if any.
Two BJD leaders — V K Pandian and Pranab Prakash Das who went to Delhi on Thursday evening by a chartered flight to hold discussions with the top leadership of the BJP, returned to Bhubaneswar on Friday. They reportedly said no decision was yet taken on the alliance.
Commenting on the alliance speculation, senior BJP leader Prithviraj Harichandan said the state leadership of the party had pleaded with the central election committee to go it alone to the polls.
“Our party’s state president Manmohan Samal has pleaded with the party's central leaders to fight the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections on its strength. We are confident that there will not be any coalition,” said Harichandan.
“The state president and key party leaders have told the central leadership that there will be good results if we fight the election alone. Therefore, the BJP will act as per the decision of the central leadership,” Harichandan said.
He added, “Speculations about an alliance are only going on in social media. I do not have any facts about any alliance. As far as I know, there is a greater chance of the BJP fighting the election alone in Odisha. It is better to stay away from fictitious stories,” he added.
Asked about the alliance, BJD’s women wing president Snehangini Churia said, “We will have to wait a bit more. I do not have anything to comment on this.”
