BHUBANESWAR: The suspense over the alliance between BJD and BJP is far from over as leaders from the regional party remained tightlipped over the issue after a meeting of the senior leaders and district observers presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the Naveen Niwas on Thursday.
Senior vice-president of BJD Debi Prasad Mishra told mediapersons the chief minister reviewed the poll preparedness of the party in all 147 Assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats. Observers of 30 districts were asked to furnish details of the constituencies under their jurisdiction. They presented their reports on the general and Assembly elections in the state, he said.
Mishra’s statement, is being seen as a message to the saffron party camp that the BJD is prepared to fight it alone in all the 147 Assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats.
A senior leader told The New Indian Express that by keeping away from any direct comment on the proposed alliance with the BJP, Mishra has articulated the leadership’s stand that the blame should not be laid on the regional outfit if the talks ultimately fail.
Sources said the stand of BJD leadership at the meeting was that if there is an alliance, well and good. But the party organisational machinery should remain prepared if the talks fail. The meeting may well be a ploy by the leadership not to cede space in media and social media to the BJP as has been happening for the last two to three days because of the meetings of the state BJP leaders with the national party leadership.
The leader said slowly a perception was being built that the alliance now depends on BJP’s national leadership. An impression was also created that the BJP state leadership was not in favour of the alliance and the BJD was pressing for such understanding due to the incumbency factor at the grassroots.
The BJD leadership now wants to change this perception and this is the reason the party remained non-committal on an alliance at the media briefing on Thursday after the meeting.
Several party leaders during the last couple of days have said BJD will win 110 to 125 Assembly seats, but a decision on the alliance will be taken only by the chief minister and the party’s state leadership.
Earlier in the day, BJD national spokesperson Santrupt Misra said the party leadership will inform media on the alliance with BJP when the time is appropriate.
