Talks End Without Agreement
Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently concluded their alliance talks without reaching a consensus. Consequently, both parties have now decided to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024 independently. BJP state president Manmohan Samal clarified that there were no alliance discussions with BJD during his recent visit to Delhi.
BJP’s Stand
“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. The BJP will contest the twin polls on its own strength,” Samal stated, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Hurdles in Alliance Talks
According to sources close to PTI, the alliance discussions faced obstacles primarily over seat-sharing ratios. Initially agreeing on a pre-poll alliance, disagreements arose over the distribution of seats. BJD aimed to contest over 100 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly, a proposal deemed unacceptable by the BJP. Conversely, BJP sought 14 out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, a demand rejected by BJD.
2019 Election Results Comparison
In the 2019 general elections, BJD secured 12 Assembly seats, while BJP won eight in Odisha.
BJP’s Concerns
“The BJD is demanding about 75% of the assembly seats, which is not acceptable to us,” expressed a senior BJP leader. This situation, they added, would adversely affect the saffron party’s prospects in the state.
BJD’s Stance
Meanwhile, BJD leadership emphasized, “It would be suicidal for us if we contest in less than 10 LS seats.”
Past Alliance History
Both parties had an alliance for around 11 years between 1998 and 2009, contesting three Lok Sabha and two assembly elections together. The BJD-BJP pact was initiated in 1998, orchestrated by senior leaders Bijay Mohapatra and the late Pramod Mahajan.
