BHUBANESWAR: Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal on Friday said that his party will contest the upcoming simultaneous elections to Assembly and Lok Sabha alone.
Samal made this announcement on X clarifying that the it would not be possible for the BJP to align with the BJD government on many issues involving Odia identity and Odisha pride. The state BJP president, who has not been seen to be too inclined to the alliance, said that his party will fight from all the 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats to fulfill the aspirations of the people of the state.
"The BJP will fight alone from all the 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfill the hopes, wishes and aspirations of 4.5 crore people of Odisha and to build a developed India and developed Odisha," Samal said.
While thanking Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for extending support to the NDA government at Centre on issues of national importance in the last 10 years, Samal, however, pointed out that various welfare schemes of Modi government were not reaching the ground in Odisha.
"Many welfare schemes of Modi government are not reaching the ground in Odisha due to which the poor sisters and brothers of the state are not getting their benefits. We do not agree with the state government on many issues concerning Odia identity, Odisha pride and interests of the people of the state," he said.
Explaining the need for going alone, Samal said states where there are double-engine governments are making rapid progress on all fronts and have effectively delivered all welfare schemes at the doorsteps of the people.
The state BJP chief who arrived here on Thursday after a four-day visit to Delhi, had told mediapersons this morning that "the obscure sky is getting clear of clouds and a clear picture will emerge at the right time." A couple of hours later he made the announcement that the part had decided to fight alone. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also immediately reposted the tweet of Samal both in Odia and Hindi. Meanwhile, jubilant BJP workers celebrated the announcement by bursting crackers and distributing sweets at the state headquarters of the party here.