The prospect of an alliance between the BJP and the BJD in Odisha seems imminent, with V K Pandian, a trusted confidant of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, indicating that “PM Narendra Modi and Odisha’s chief minister want to unite for ‘a greater cause’.”
Addressing a media conclave on Tuesday, Pandian, though refraining from outright confirmation, strongly suggested the forthcoming collaboration between two leaders who, he emphasized, “share a profound camaraderie.”
Describing their inclination to unite as a testament to remarkable statesmanship, Pandian remarked, “There are aspects beyond politics, as neither the BJD nor the BJP requires an alliance for electoral gains.”
“An individual might seek to forge an alliance to influence the electoral landscape. However, here we have a chief minister who commands immense popularity in the state, consistently securing a significant majority in every election. In the recent panchayat polls, fought on party lines, he clinched 90% of the seats, while the BJP, the second-largest party, secured only 5%,” Pandian highlighted. “Mr. Naveen Patnaik doesn’t necessitate an alliance to continue serving the people. The same holds true for Mr. Narendra Modi, the honorable Prime Minister.”
Asserting that the BJD doesn’t rely on the BJP to form the government in the state, and vice versa at the national level, Pandian underscored, “This underscores the remarkable friendship between two individuals who discern that some matters transcend political boundaries. It’s a rare display of statesmanship.”
If materialized, this alliance would mark the second instance of collaboration between the two parties, following their alliance from 1998 to 2009.
In the 2019 elections, the BJD secured a significant victory, claiming 12 out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats, while the BJP won eight and Congress managed just one. In the assembly, the BJD emerged victorious with 113 seats, followed by the BJP with 23 seats, and Congress with nine seats, while the CPI(M) secured one seat, alongside an Independent candidate.
The Congress, relegated to the third position in the state, has long maintained that the BJP and the BJD have been in an “undeclared alliance” for the past decade.
The BJD has often extended support to the BJP in Parliament on crucial legislations and aided railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s election to the Rajya Sabha from Odisha.
With PM Modi setting a lofty target of “400 paar” in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has been actively expanding the National Democratic Alliance by collaborating with various regional parties across states.