BHUBANESWAR: Support extended to NDA Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu by the ruling BJD in Odisha has thrown up a new political equation in the State which is likely to affect the functioning of the main Opposition political party BJP in the Assembly.
The second phase of the budget session of the Assembly will begin from Wednesday and the BJP is in a dilemma over the stand to be taken in view of the Presidential election scheduled on July 18.
The 22-member BJP Legislature Party is divided over the issue as several legislators want to play the role of the Opposition from the beginning. A senior BJP legislator said that the Brajrajnagar by-poll results in which the BJP was relegated to the third position and the candidate lost deposit should be taken seriously.
Playing second fiddle to the ruling BJD will further erode the party's base in the State, he said and added that Assembly is an important forum in which the ruling party can be put on the mat.
The Congress is also not in a position to take advantage of the situation as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) seems to be divided over the issue following the aggressive campaign by the BJD in favour of the NDA Presidential candidate.
Though several Congress MLAs publicly maintained that they will go by the party’s decision and support united Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha, things may change on the election day, political observers feel.
Meanwhile, sources in the ruling BJD said that the party is expecting smooth sailing in the Assembly following the recent developments including the visit of Murmu to the State. The political situation has undergone a change and the two main political parties in the State will try to play it safe in the Assembly till the elections are over, a senior BJD leader said.