BJP offers BJD 25 more seats in Orissa

New Delhi, Mar 6 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate L. K. Advani on Friday offered 25 more seats to the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Orissa. The announcement was aimed at persuading the BJD to stay in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Since 1998, the BJD has been contesting 84 Assembly and 12 Lok Sabha seats while BJP has fielded candidates in 63 Assembly and nine Lok Sabha constituencies.

The Orissa State Assembly polls will be held along with the general elections on April 16 and 23.

BJP leaders Chandan Mitra and Dharmendra Pradhan, who are in Bhubaneshwar to hold further talks with the BJD, said, they are hopeful about reaching an agreement soon.

BJD chief and Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had on Thursday said a decision on continuing the alliance with the BJP would be taken some days. (ANI)