BJD-BJP alliance talks
The possibility of an alliance between the BJP and Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) hangs in balance, with just weeks left for the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state.
According to BJD sources, the BJP has expressed its desire to contest 57 of the 147 Assembly seats and 13-14 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha. This leaves the BJD with 90 Assembly seats and 6-7 Lok Sabha seats.The BJP presently has eight Lok Sabha MPs from Odisha and 23 MLAs in the Assembly. The BJD has 112 MLAs and 12 Lok Sabha MPs. The sources said the BJP wants BJD to accept it as the "big brother" in the alliance. However, BJD leaders have rejected such a proposal.
On the other hand, the state unit of the BJP is keen to go solo in Odisha to strengthen its base and contest all seats. State BJP leaders have contended that in the last 10 years, due to the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the vote percentage of the party has increased.
The BJP state leadership is hopeful of winning more than 60 seats in the Assembly elections and 14–15 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.
However, the final verdict on a potential alliance rests in the hands of the top leadership, notably PM Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, as was hinted by BJD's second-in-command, VK Pandian, during a recent media summit.
Speaking at the event, Pandian said, "BJD does not need BJP to form government in the state and BJP may not need BJD to form government in the Centre."
"That is why I made it very clear that it is to do with two individuals who share a great friendship with each other, and they see that some things are beyond politics and that is where you see a rare mark of statesmanship. I consciously use the word statesmanship. It has nothing to do with politics," he further said.
With elections in Odisha slated to begin May 13 onwards, sources indicated that there was a window of opportunity for last-minute negotiations and deliberations between the two parties, as they assess their respective strengths.When asked about the possibility of a tie-up, speaking at the same summit, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, "It has not been decided yet. Our party president will take a call on it. However, it is certain that we will see massive gains in our strength in Odisha. Our workers feel and accept the love of the people of Odisha for the Prime Minister."On Tuesday, the core group of BJP in Odisha met Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda to finalise the list of candidates for the upcoming elections, underscoring the party's resolve to forge ahead with or without a potential alliance.While the BJP is aiming to consolidate its presence in Odisha, the BJD is seeking to maintain its stronghold in the state under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik.
