THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Bhubaneshwar, March 22: The BJP declared on March 22 that it will contest the upcoming elections in all 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 Assembly seats in Odisha alone, dispelling any rumours of reviving an alliance with Naveen Patnaik led Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
President of the BJP in Odisha, Manmohan Samal, declared on X that the BJP and BJD will not form an alliance.
“To fulfill the hopes, wishes and aspirations of 4.5 crore people of Odisha, under the visionary leadership of the Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, to make a developed India and developed Odisha, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will win all the 21 seats of the Lok Sabha and all the 147 seats of the Legislative Assembly. BJP will contest the seats alone,” Samal posted on X.
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विगत 10 वर्षों से, श्री नवीन पटनायक जी के नेतृत्व में ओडिशा की बीजू जनता दल (बीजेडी) पार्टी केंद्र की माननीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेंद्र मोदी जी की सरकार के अनेक राष्ट्रीय महत्व के प्रसंगों में समर्थन देती आई है, इसके लिए हम उनका आभार व्यक्त करते हैं।
अनुभव में आया है कि देशभर…
— Manmohan Samal (Modi Ka Parivar) (@SamalManmohan7) March 22, 2024
Centre’s welfare schemes not reaching Odisha: Samal
The Odisha BJP president elaborated on why discussions for a BJP-BJD alliance didn’t materialize, citing the BJD’s support for the Modi government’s national initiatives over the past decade.
However, concerns were raised about certain welfare schemes not effectively reaching Odisha, affecting the state’s progress and the welfare of its people.
Additionally, issues pertaining to Odisha’s identity, pride, and the interests of its citizens were highlighted as factors contributing to the decision.
BJP-BJD parted ways in 2009
After being in an alliance for more than ten years, from 1998 to 2009, the BJP and the BJD parted ways in 2009.
At present, the BJP holds eight seats in the Lok Sabha and 23 seats in the Odisha Legislative Assembly. In contrast, the ruling BJD has 112 MLAs and 12 Lok Sabha MPs representing the state.
