New Delhi: BJP Chankya and Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said that no decision has been taken yet on theproposed alliance between the BJP and the BJD.
“The BJP national president will take a decision on it,” Shri Shah said while replying to a question at Rising Bharat Summit, organisedby TV channel News18, in New Delhi.
He was confident that regardless of whether the BJP contests independently or forms an alliance with the BJD, it will significantlyimprove its strength in Odisha.
“It is certain that we will increase our strength inOdisha. The affection that the people of Odisha have for Modiji is accepted byour workers with warmth and humility,” he said.
“With the love of the people of Odisha towards Shri Modiji, we will get considerable success in both the Lok Sabha and State Assemblyelections. We will get far more seats than what has been estimated by pollanalysts,” he added.
Responding to queries regarding the BJP’s prospects of forming the government in Odisha,Shri Shah said let there be clarity first on whether the party would gosolo or enter into a coalition with BJD.
“If we choose to contest independently, our aim willbe to form a government in Odisha,” the Union Minister said.
Notably, Shri Shah had a meeting with State BJP leaders late last night where detailed seat-wise discussion was held on all 21 LokSabha and 147 Assembly seats.
Yesterday, speaking at the same event, Ace BJD leader and 5T Chairman V K Pandian had termed the ‘possible alliance’ as something beyond politics.
“Naveen Patnaik is undoubtedly going to be CM of the State and Narendra Modi is going to be thePM of the country. But there is something which is beyond politics. It is amark of great statesmanship. That is how I put it”.
He, however, did not provide clarity on the status of the talks.Pandian said theChief Minister has been winning 3/4th majority in the State and BJD won 90% ofthe seats in the Panchayat elections, which is fought over party symbol, in 2022.
“Naveen Patnaik does not need an alliance to come back to power and serve the people.Similarly, surveys show a hattrick for Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA,” Shri Pandian had stated.
