Bhubaneswar: It is not a million dollar question, rather a trillion dollar issue in the Odisha politics. Nobody has any clue to know what is being cooked in the minds of Governing BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik about the possible alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Though the people of Odisha have many times have experienced surprise by Naveen Patnaik, still they are utterly confused about the possible direction of the Odisha politics. Nobody has any clue about what is there is the store for the state politics.
Though there is no such compulsion for Naveen Patnaik and his party to go for an alliance with BJP now, nobody is sure about the future. Many things are happening in state politics and the latest is BJD’s support to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Rajya Sabha elections. The regional party this time volunteered to support the BJP candidate even though no senior leader including PM Modi made any approach. Even the saffron party also did not make any formal request to Naveen Patnaik for supporting Shri Vaishnaw. Still, BJD supported him in the name of the state’s “larger interest.” The story behind BJD’s support to Saffron Leader is still a mystery for the state politics.
Now, ahead of the twin polls for the Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly, there is a huge speculation over the possible alliance between BJD and the BJP.
Though State BJP President Man Mohan Samal has rejected the idea, Odisha BJP’s face Dharmendra Pradhan when asked by reporters to clear the air at Sambalpur, preferred to walk away from camera focus. BJP Election in Charge for Odisha Vijaypal Singh Tomar, who last week was claiming that his party will fight the twin polls on its own strength, has of late changed statement. Replying a question on the subject, he said the Odisha unit will go by the strategy to be formulated by the central party.
Shri Tomar’s Deputy, Lata Usendi, however, made a political statement by saying that Odisha will see a double engine government this time after 2024 elections. However, she did not clarify whether the government will be formed by BJP alone or in an alliance.
The senior BJD leaders, on the other hand, are silent as usual. Everybody knows that it is Naveen Patnaik alone who takes all the major decisions in the Party and the Government. Only Naveen could reply this trillion dollar question, a BJD Veteran said adding that the BJD Supremo’s mind has all along become a difficult subject to study. However, Naveen prior to the 2009 general elections had dropped BJP from the alliance branding it “communal.” Now after 15 years, nobody knows what is there in Naveen’s mind. People also do not reject possibility of Naveen holding the BJP’s hand again on the “State’s larger interest.” BJD Supremo has all along said that Odisha’s development was his only “Agenda”.
While the entire state has been burning midnight oil over the possible alliance between BJD and the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been coming to Odisha on 5 March, the day on which the BJD has been observing the 108th birth anniversary of legendary Biju Patnaik after whose name the regional party is named.
Since Shri Modi is scheduled to address a public meeting at Chandikhole, the strong hold of BJD in the coastal region, many people are expecting that the Prime Minister may announce Bharat Ratna for Biju Patnaik, a long standing demand of the state and the regional party. If that is the matter, then Biju’s younger son Naveen may be inclined to go for an alliance with the BJP ahead of the general elections.
However, sources within both the BJD and BJP did not rule out the possibility of a tie-up, saying the top leadership of both parties might be mulling over it. Interestingly presence of Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary, Dr.P K Mishra’s presence in Odisha for last three days and his appreciation for Parikrama Project of Puri has fuelled the fire in the political circle.
However, State BJP President and RSS sources are of the opinion that the party has nothing to gain if it enters into any pact with BJD. They privately say that the BJP may easily get 12 Lok Sabha seats and gain 4 more MPs in comparison to 2019 elections, the BJD would be the ultimate loser. The BJD had last time won 12 LS seats and presently preparing to win in another 8 seats despite “Sri Ram” wave across the state.
Anyway, time will tell what will happen in Odisha politics. The cloud may be cleared after PM Modi’s visit on Tuesday. So all eyes are on “5 March”.
