Why BJP Workers Not Happy To Ally With BJD In Odisha?

The BJP's central leadership on Sunday called its Odisha state unit leaders and those in charge of elections in to Delhi amid as suspense over alliance with BJD continued.

Assembly and Lok Sabha elections are held simultaneously in the state. Sources informed PTI that the BJD sought to contest from over 100 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly and the BJP has not accepted this proposal.

In the Odisha assembly, the regional party has 114 members. During the initial stages of talks, the BJD had pushed for 112 seats. A senior BJP official said, "The BJD is demanding about 75 per cent of the assembly seats which is not accepted by us," a senior BJP leader said adding that such a situation would adversely affect the prospect of the saffron party in the state.

On the other hand, the BJP wanted to contest 14 out of 21 Lok Sabha seats, a proposition rebuffed by the BJD. In the 2019 general elections, the BJD secured 12 seats, while the BJP clinched eight.

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

Amid the talks, the BJP's grassroot workers are not happy to have an alliance with the BJD, according to a report in The Hindu. "Although we have worked hard to rise from the third position to the principal opposition since 2009, there is possibility of party being branded as a ruling party if the alliance is approved by the central leadership. The natural advantage of fighting the election against 24 years of incumbency would be lost," the daily quoted a BJP aspirant from Sambalpur district as saying.

Although the popularity of the BJD has declined, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik continues to be the most favoured leader in Odisha.

Given that the BJP secured the majority of Lok Sabha seats in western Odisha districts and Mayurbhanj district, the party might hesitate to relinquish these seats to the regional party in the event of an alliance, undermining its consolidation efforts, as stated by a senior party leader. In other districts, BJP hopefuls are facing an uncertain future.

Several pre-poll surveys have indicated that the BJP would outperform the BJD in the Lok Sabha polls. Not surprisingly, four sitting MLAs and 12 former MLAs have jined the saffron party.

It may be recalled that 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.