
After 15 years of being apart, the BJP and Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) hinted they might renew their former partnership, despite years of political rivalry.
In Bhubaneswar, 18 BJD leaders gathered at the home of party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for an important meeting.
Meanwhile, in Delhi, senior BJP leaders, led by party president J.P. Nadda, discussed the potential details of a new coalition. Following the meeting, senior BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra emphasized Odisha’s progress under Chief Minister Patnaik’s leadership, pledging to further the state’s development.
In Delhi, Sundargarh MP and senior BJP leader Jual Oram revealed discussions revolved around the party’s approach to Odisha’s 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats, including the chance of sharing seats with the BJD. However, he reiterated the Odisha unit’s preparedness to contest all seats, awaiting final directives from the central leadership.
This possible alliance isn’t new for both parties. They previously united before the 1998 Lok Sabha elections, contesting 12 and 8 seats respectively out of Odisha’s 21 Lok Sabha seats. Their collaboration extended to the 2000 and 2004 Assembly elections, resulting in a coalition government until 2009.
In 2009, the alliance ended, with the BJD breaking ties with the BJP, citing ideological differences and branding it as “communal”.