BJP rules out alliance in Odisha, to fight LS and Assembly elections alone

Bhubaneswar, March 22 (IANS) Ending all speculations of an alliance with Odisha's ruling BJD, the Bharatiya Janata Party's state President Manmohan Samal on Friday announced that his party will fight the upcoming simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly in the state alone.  

"To fulfil the hope and aspirations of 4.5 crore Odia people, Bharatiya Janata Party will fight alone in 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Vidhan Sabha constituencies under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi this time," Samal said in a post on his X account.

The BJP leader, in his post, also thanked the Biju Janata Dal government, led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, for supporting the Narendra Modi government at the Centre on all the issues of national importance.

Stressing that a "double-engine" government in the state will ensure accelerated growth for the state, he also invoked Odia pride while noting that his party has failed to agree with the ruling BJD over several matters related to the people of Odisha.

"We are feeling that development and welfare programmes for the poor are accelerated wherever a double engine government is present ruling in the country and such states are also growing in all sectors," Samal said.

"However, many welfare programmes of the Modi government are not reaching the poor people at the grassroots level, as a result of which, they aren’t reaping any benefit from it. We have not been able to agree with the state government on several matters concerning the dignity of Odia (Odia Asmita), the pride of Odisha and the self-interest of Odia people," he added.

Meanwhile, political observers claimed that the state leadership succeeded in convincing the Central leadership about the situation of the party on the ground and how it stands to gain significantly in terms of seats in both the Assembly and Lok Sabha.