'BJP Will Contest On Own Strength': Odisha Unit Chief Signals Going Solo In LS Polls Amid Stalemate With BJD

The BJD purportedly aimed to contest over 100 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly, a proposition that the BJP found unacceptable, according to sources within the saffron camp.

Seat sharing talk stalled between BJP and BJD ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: The Odisha BJP hinted that it may field candidates in all the 147 assembly and 21 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, after its pre-poll alliance and seat-sharing talks with the BJD in Delhi remained inconclusive. BJP state president Manmohan Samal, along with other senior party leaders returned to Bhubaneswar from the national capital on Friday. He clarified that no talks regarding alliances or seat-sharing were conducted during the meeting with central leaders.

"We had gone to Delhi to hold discussions with the central leaders on our preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state. No talks on alliance or seat-sharing with any party were held during the meeting", PTI quoted Samal as saying.

He also claimed that the Odisha BJP was confident of winning both the polls. "The BJP will contest the twin polls on its own strength", he added.

BJD leaders VK Pandian and Pranab Prakash Das, who had rushed to Delhi in a chartered flight on Thursday evening to discuss pre-poll alliance issues with BJP central leaders, also returned to Bhubaneswar. Upon their return, they maintained silence regarding the outcome of their discussions.

Sources told PTI that the alliance talks between Odisha’s ruling BJD and opposition BJP hit hurdles over seat sharing.

The BJD purportedly aimed to contest over 100 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly, a proposition that the BJP found unacceptable, according to sources within the saffron camp, as per PTI's report.

During discussions between the BJD and BJP regarding seat sharing for the upcoming elections, the regional party initially demanded 112 seats out of the 147-member Odisha Assembly, reflecting its dominant position with 114 members in the outgoing assembly. However, the BJP found this demand unreasonable, particularly as it constituted approximately 75% of the assembly seats.

BJP Seeks 14 Of 21 Lok Sabha Seats In Odisha, BJD Rejects

A senior BJP leader expressed concerns that such an arrangement would significantly impact the saffron party's electoral prospects in the state. Conversely, the BJP sought 14 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, a request that was rejected by the BJD, the report stated. The BJD, which had won 12 seats in the 2019 general elections compared to the BJP's eight.

"It would be suicidal for us if we contest in less than 10 LS seats", a senior BJD leader said.

Odisha BJP leaders, led by Samal, engaged in extensive discussions with central leaders over a three-day period in Delhi, holding marathon meetings at the residence of state election in-charge and Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Pal Singh Tomar. Two days ago, former Union minister and BJP MP Jual Oram indicated that discussions on an alliance with the BJD had taken place during a meeting at Tomar's residence, but no conclusive decisions were reached.

Despite ongoing deliberations, Odisha BJP general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan confirmed that no alliance decision had been made as of that afternoon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the state on March 5 following which the alliance talks dominated state politics.

BJD-BJP's Alliance History

The BJD has indicated its willingness to explore all options, including the possibility of forming an alliance, in the interest of the state and its people. Both parties have a history of alliance, having collaborated for approximately 11 years between 1998 and 2009, during which they contested three Lok Sabha and two assembly elections together.

The alliance traces back to 1998 when Janata Dal split, leading BJD leader Naveen Patnaik to form his own party and join the Vajpayee-led BJP government as the steel and mines minister. Over the years, the seat-sharing ratio between the two parties was typically 4:3, with BJD contesting 84 Assembly and 12 Lok Sabha seats, and BJP contesting 63 Assembly and 9 Lok Sabha seats.

The alliance saw success in the 1998 general elections, securing 17 out of 21 seats with a 48.7% vote share, followed by 19 seats in 1999 and 18 seats in 2004.