BHUBANESHWAR: After speculations of a rapprochement between BJD and BJP surfaced following Friday's meeting between chief minister Naveen Patnaik and union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan over the Odisha government Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) tax dispute, both parties on Sunday resumed their adversarial role keeping in view the next Assembly election.
BJD's rousing reception to chief minister Naveen Patnaik at the airport and his announcement that the regional outfit will continue with its policy of equidistance from the Congress and BJP have rid speculations among political circles that Naveen Patnaik will return to the NDA fold like his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar.
Talking to media, Naveen Patnaik also made it clear that the party fully prepared for an early election to the state Assembly. Meanwhile, the BJP also ruled out the possibility of any coalition with the BJD in the 2019 elections.
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan claimed that the BJP is in a position to form the next government in Odisha on its own strength and there is no need for any coalition with the regional outfit. He also said that BJP president Amit Shah is in the process of finalising a roadmap to defeat the BJD in the next assembly election.
Stating that the BJP had lost in about 120 assembly constituencies by a thin margin in the last election, Dramendra Pradhan said these seats can be won by strengthening the organisation at the booth level. He said Amit Shah's visit to Odisha early in September is part of BJP’s strategy to strengthen its grassroots.
Amit Shah will be attending about 26 events in his three-day tour to Odisha starting from September 6. However, his visit will be an internal party affair with no public meetings.