Odisha’s BJD In Talks For NDA ‘Ghar Wapsi’ After 15 Years, Seat-Sharing Pact Likely Soon – News18

After a gap of fifteen years, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), led by their leader, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, is poised to re-enter the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) fold before the upcoming general election.

The potential revival of this alliance, which comes after a decade-long partnership between the BJD and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was severed by Patnaik in 2009. Before that, the partnership between the two sides had been key in shaping the political landscape in Odisha during their eleven-year alliance from 1998 to 2009.

As things stand, talks around BJD’s NDA return have reportedly reached an advanced stage. Odisha has 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 assembly seats. The BJD and the BJP won 12 and eight parliamentary constituencies and 112 and 23 assembly constituencies respectively in 2019. Despite holding a strong position, the BJD appears poised to enter the alliance. The BJD sources told News18 that BJP is reportedly seeking 14 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the alliance negotiations.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik held discussions with senior BJD leaders at his residence in Bhubaneswar to deliberate on the alliance’s various aspects.  While deliberating the alliance’s contours, BJD Vice-President Debi Prasad Mishra underlined the importance of strategic planning for the forthcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, considering Odisha’s impending centenary of statehood in 2036.

“An extensive discussion was held under the leadership of BJD President and CM Shri. Naveen Patnaik with the senior leaders of the Party today regarding the strategy of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. In the discussions it was resolved that since by 2036, Odisha will complete 100 years of its statehood and BJD and CM has major milestones to be achieved by this time, therefore Biju Janata Dal will do everything towards this in the greater interests of the people of Odisha and the State,” a BJD press release read.

Concurrently, Odisha BJP leaders met Home Minister Amit Shah and the party’s national president J P Nadda in Delhi amid indications that it may ally with the BJD for Lok Sabha and assembly polls, which are held simultaneously in the state. Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal and former Union minister Juel Oram attended the core committee meeting with Shah and Nadda. “Yes, there were discussions on the alliance among other issues. The party’s central leadership will make the final call,” Oram said.

The rekindling of the old ties first gained traction following the BJD’s support for Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the recent Rajya Sabha elections. The potential resurgence of the BJD-BJP alliance is perceived as mutually beneficial, aligning with the BJP’s aspirations for a commanding mandate at the Centre and the BJD’s pursuit of a sixth straight term in Odisha. The development coincides with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent state visit, during which he lauded CM Patnaik’s leadership. The Odisha CM also didn’t hold back praise for PM Modi.

(With agency inputs)