BHUBANESWAR: Amid the BJP-BJD alliance suspense, Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement at a conclave in New Delhi added more confusion to the story.
While Shah did not dismiss the possibility of alliance between the two political parties, he said the prime minister and party president have not yet decided on how to proceed in Odisha. He, however, asserted that BJP will improve its performance in both Lok Sabha and Assembly in the coming elections in Odisha.
To a question whether an alliance between the principal political parties is philosophically possible, Shah said, in hardcore politics, win and loss calculations will have to be done. Besides, similarity in ideological viewpoints of both the parties also have to be seen, he added.
Meanwhile, it was business as usual in the BJP camp with a former MLA and an actor -turned-politician joining the saffron party whereas a complete silence prevailed in the BJD camp on Friday.
Leaders of both the parties, however, privately maintained a decision on alliance will be taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The BJD sources maintained the chief minister along with senior BJD leaders are likely to visit New Delhi in a day or two to thrash out the seat-sharing formula with the highest BJP leadership.
Despite posturing in both the camps, a sense of restlessness seems to have enveloped aspirants for tickets as well as the workers.
Most leaders were in the dark about the when, how and where of the alliance if at all it materialises. Some of them, however, hoped a formal announcement is made in the next two to three days.