BJP, BJD try to put lid on ‘coalition rumour’ in Odisha

Priya Ranjan Swain Published On : Mar 2, 2024 at 5:03 PM

Bhubaneswar: While rumour mills are working overtime over speculation of a possible BJP-BJD alliance in Odisha, the two parties in question have responded to it today in an apparent bid to put a spanner in the wheels.

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has said there is not an ounce of truth in the rumours regarding a coalition with BJP. The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) revealed that it would go solo in the upcoming simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha.

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“The BJP, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will fight for all 147 Assembly constituencies and 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha alone in 2024,” said party’s Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal in a twitter post today.

The BJP is confident of forming government in Odisha and retaining power at the Centre in the upcoming twin polls, Samal added.

BJP’s Lok Sabha poll in-charge (Prabhari) for Odisha, Vijaypal Singh Tomar, too claimed that the party had no plan to have an alliance with the BJD.

“I have talked to BJP national president and other senior leaders of the party. There is no discussion regarding any possible coalition between BJD and BJP. Our party will win at least 80 Assembly seats and 16 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha in the upcoming polls. The BJD is spreading rumours regarding a possible alliance with our party,” Tomar said.

BJD spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra said the candidates of the ruling party will come victorious in at least 120 Assembly seats and 17 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha in 2024 polls. “Our leader Naveen Patnaik will take oath as the Chief Minister of Odisha for the sixth straight term. We do not know why the BJP leaders are spreading rumours regarding an alliance with the BJD in the state ahead of the twin elections,” Patra added.