With the Lok Sabha elections on the horizon, BJP is rapidly expanding its fold. In Odisha, the final dialogue stages have been reached for an alliance between BJP and BJD. If election strategies are agreed upon, this would mark a reunion for BJP-BJD after 15 years. Insiders suggest that BJD's entry into NDA could soon be announced. On Wednesday, Odisha BJP leaders met with Home Minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda in Delhi.
Insider sources say that Biju Janata Dal leader and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is willing to align with the BJP. With simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha, a combined effort could be on the cards. Talks of a BJP-BJD alliance have heightened, with the top leadership yet to make a final decision. Central to discussions: how will seat-sharing unfold, and who will claim how many seats? A formula is expected to emerge soon.
'BJP to contest more Lok Sabha seats, while BJD eyes Assembly dominance'
Key BJP figures, including Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal, and former Central Minister Juel Oram, partook in a core committee meeting led by Home Minister Shah and Nadda. Post-meeting, Oram confirmed discussions on an alliance, awaiting the central leadership's verdict. If an alliance materializes, the BJP would undoubtedly contest most Lok Sabha seats from Odisha, while BJD would aim to dominate the Assembly polls.
As rivals praise each other, alliance talks between BJP and BJD heat up in Odisha
'BJP clinched 8 seats in the 2019 elections'
Odisha has 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats. In the 2019 elections, BJD secured 12 Lok Sabha seats, and BJP won 8, while BJD won 112 Assembly seats, and BJP took 23. With both elections up for grabs once again, the parties are eyeing a successful alliance. Their partnership dissolved back in 2009.
'Modi and Patnaik shared mutual praises'
In a recent rally, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik publicly commended each other, sparking discussions about an alliance. In Parliament, BJD has often supported the Modi government's agenda, even backing BJP candidate and railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Rajya Sabha elections.
In the midst of these developments, BJD leaders convened for over three hours at Chief Minister Patnaik's Bhubaneswar residence. The BJD vice president and MLA Debi Prasad Mishra acknowledged alliance talks but remained non-committal on a decision. Under Patnaik's leadership, Odisha has made significant strides, he iterated, emphasizing the need to propel the state's development further. Earlier alliance rumors have been dismissed by both parties as baseless.
Read about BJP's strategic alliances in Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha here
Meanwhile, BJP continues to extend its network of allies in states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, with regional leaders regularly engaging with Shah and Nadda. BJP's Central Election Committee is also finalizing its list of candidates. The party has announced candidates for 195 Lok Sabha seats thus far.
