Odisha BJP

1. BJP in Odisha, led by President Manmohan Samal, opts to contest Lok Sabha and assembly elections independently.
2. The decision puts an end to speculations regarding a possible alliance with Naveen Patnaik’s BJD.
3. BJP aims to bolster its presence in Odisha through independent candidacy in upcoming elections.

Bhubaneswar, March 22: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha has declared its decision to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections independently, without allying with Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

BJP Odisha president Manmohan Samal announced the decision, ending speculations about a potential alliance as the BJP seeks to strengthen its presence in the state.

The announcement came after days of deliberation, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah stating on Thursday that the final decision was pending.

In a statement, the state BJP president expressed gratitude to Naveen Patnaik and the BJD for their support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government on national matters over the past decade.

However, he highlighted concerns regarding the effective implementation of the Modi government’s welfare schemes in Odisha, citing difficulties faced by the state’s residents in accessing benefits.

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Samal emphasized the BJP’s commitment to addressing the aspirations of Odisha’s 4.5 crore citizens under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The party aims to secure victory in all 21 Lok Sabha seats and all 147 Legislative Assembly seats in the upcoming elections, with a vision to contribute to the development of both India and Odisha.

The BJD had expressed optimism about a potential alliance, with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s aide VK Pandian stating that discussions between BJP and BJD transcended politics, suggesting that neither Modi nor Patnaik required an alliance for re-election.

The BJP and the BJD had previously been allies from 1998 to 2009 but parted ways in 2009.