BJD-BJP possible alliance: Delhi meeting of top leaders holds key

Bhubaneswar: Without any concrete word from either the BJP or the BJD on the possibility of formation of an alliance in Odisha, all eyes are now on Delhi where the saffron party leaders are holding marathon meetings.

While the BJD is not ready to reveal its cards, the state’s top BJP leaders - president Manmohan Samal, election in-charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar and others - have been camping in Delhi.

BJP state leaders held a series of meetings at the residence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Sources said a section of them were against stitching an alliance with the BJD, which dumped the saffron party ahead of the 2009 general elections, months after a riot in Kandhamal the previous year.

The issue of alliance between the BJD and BJP came for discussion after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Odisha on March 5. The next day, BJD held a meeting of its senior leaders.

Pradhan, sources said, has been assigned to talk to the Odisha BJP leaders on the issue of the possible alliance with the BJD.

“Pradhan will inform the party top leaders regarding the views of the Odisha leaders and then a decision is likely to be made by Wednesday noon,” a senior BJP leader said with condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the BJD is waiting for the decision of the BJP.

BJD leader and MLA Parsuram Dhada said, “We are in no dilemma about the alliance. The party rank and file will abide by the decision of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Alliance is not a new thing and it has happened in the past and may happen now,” he said.

BJP leader Suryavanshi Suraj, however, termed the buzz around the alliance as speculations in the media.

“Our state president and the party’s state in-charge have already made their stand clear,” he said.

BJP state president Manmohan Samal had said that the saffron party was preparing to fight the upcoming twin polls alone.

The BJD and the BJP were in alliance for around 11 years between 1998 and 2009 and fought three Lok Sabha and two Assembly elections together.