BHUBANESWAR: The BJD on Monday went into election mode without waiting for a final word on a possible alliance with the BJP, negotiations for which has dragged on for last over 10 days.
District observers and senior leaders of the party have been asked to leave for their respective areas to concentrate on organisational work and prepare for the elections. The candidate selection process was also kickstarted at Naveen Niwas on the day from Puri and Kendrapara districts both of which have symbolic value and political significance for the regional outfit.
Sources said no alliance matters were discussed during the day-long meetings chaired by party supremo Naveen Patnaik with senior leaders of the two districts. As an internal survey conducted by the BJD predicts that the party will win 15 Lok Sabha and 126 Assembly seats, the party leadership now feels it not strategically correct to wait for the alliance.
A senior leader told The New Indian Express as around two months are left for the first phase election in the state on May 13, the BJD should proceed with the election process as it has an upper hand now. But this does not mean that the state leadership is against any alliance with the BJP, he said adding this should not be the only agenda of the party. The leadership wants the party to remain fully prepared for all the 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats.
In this context, the candidate selection process started by the BJD with media attention has assumed significance. The process started from Puri and the meeting was attended by all MLAs besides the district observer and Agriculture Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain, former ministers Arun Sahu and Sanjay Dasburma.
Sources said former Mumbai commissioner Arup Patnaik is being considered as the party’s candidate for the Puri Lok Sabha seat as sitting MP Pinaki Mishra has not shown any interest to contest again. Besides, former Bhubaneswar MP Prasanna Patasani is being considered from Chilika Assembly seat. The BJD did not have a credible face in the constituency since Prashant Jagdeb was expelled. Patasani will be a good counter to Jagdeb who recently joined BJP. However, Jagdeb has a good base in Chilika and nearby constituencies.
Similarly, Sunil Mohanty, son of former speaker Maheswar Mohanty, is being considered as the party’s candidate from the Puri Assembly constituency. While Dasburma is likely to contest from Satyabadi, sitting MLA from Satyabadi Uma Samantaray is likely to be fielded from Bramhagiri if an alliance does not happen with BJP.