15 Years After Fallout, BJP-BJD Set To Join Hands For Lok Sabha, Assembly Polls In Odisha

In a boost for the National Democratic Alliance, the BJP and Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) are all set to join hands 15 years after they had a fallout over the seat-sharing deal in 2009. This will be yet another setback for the Congress-led INDIA block as coming together of the BJP and the BJD would result in a stronger alliance in Odisha which has 147 assembly seats and 21 Lok Sabha seats. Senior BJP leaders met top BJP leadership yesterday and discussed the way forward. After the meeting, the BJD issued a statement saying the party will take decisions that will be beneficial for the state.

BJD's Statement After Meeting With BJP

The BJD said that an extensive discussion was held under the leadership of BJD President and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik with the senior leaders of the Party regarding the strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. "In the discussions, it was resolved that since by 2036, Odisha will complete 100 years of its statehood and BJD and CM have major milestones to be achieved by this time, BJD will do everything towards this in the greater interests of the people of Odisha and the State," said the BJD.

BJD vice president Debi Prasad Mishra said that any decision that will be taken will be conducive to the development of Odisha. He said that party president Naveen Patnaik has put forth several milestones since Odisha will be celebrating 100 years of statehood after 12 years. BJP MP from Odisha Jual Oram said that discussion has taken place on all seats including the 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Vidhan Sabha seats.

Possible BJP-BJD Seat-Sharing Deal

Since the two old friends are coming together after 15 years, the BJP and the BJD have reportedly agreed on a reverse seat-sharing deal for the assembly and Lok Sabha polls. While the BJD will play the big brother role in assembly polls, the BJP will have a larger seat share in the Lok Sabha. Of the 21 parliamentary constituencies in the state, the BJP may contest 12-14 seats while the BJD on 7-9 seats. On the other hand, in the 147-member assembly, the BJP may contest around 40-50 seats while the BJD may contest around 100 seats if the deal gets finalized. 

2019 Polls Result

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) won 12 seats, the BJP bagged 8 seats, and the Congress won just one seat. In the Assembly polls, the BJD swept the state winning 113 seats while the BJP came a distant second with 23 seats, followed by the Congress with 9 seats. 

BJD-BJP Alliance History

The alliance between BJD and BJP was established for the first time in 1998, led by senior leaders Bijay Mohapatra and the late Pramod Mahajan. The alliance won the 2000 and 2004 assembly polls while emerging victorious in the 1998, 1999, and 2004 parliamentary polls. However, failed seat-sharing talks saw the collapse of the alliance. Despite sitting in opposition in Parliament, the BJD had on different occasions supported the NDA government helping it in getting passed crucial bills in the Rajya Sabha where the NDA lacked a majority.