Orissa BJP wants to abort alliance with BJD

The appeal of the district functionaries to the central leadership was in response to the Tuesday’s remarks of Bijay Mohapatra, chairman of the BJD’s Political Affairs Committee. Mohapatra told newsmen here that his party would contest majority of the parliamentary seats in the State.

The BJP functionaries are learnt to have stated that the party workers want unconditional support from BJD, if the latter’s sole aim was to defeat the Congress. They consider Congress as their sole rival in the State and national politics. They have also urged the central leaders not to go for an alliance with the BJD unless the latter snaps its ties with the Left and Laloo Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

Meanwhile, according to the BJP, Janata Dal workers are still confused about the state affairs in the party, and there still persists indecisiveness among many regarding which way to go.

The fluid situation in the Janata Dal has further compounded their problems. If such a situation continues, the Janata Dal workers would not be in a position to help either the BJD or the BJP, it was pointed out. Parrty incumbents pointed out that the Janata Dal before its split had lost its popularity. The results of the by-elections at Nuapara, Daspalla and Kamakhyanagar add a pointer to the sinking popularity of the Janata Dal, they maintained.

When the BJD leaders could not realise this when they were in the Janata Dal and fought for party posts, what was the guarantee that they would work in tandem with the BJP after the alliance, the functionaries wondered.

Another reason why district functionaries have advised the leadership not to rush for an alliance when the possibility of further split in the Janata Dal and BJD still lurks. Besides, the possibility of a split in the Congress has also become apparent.

Also, the party leaders have been warned not to concede to more than one-third seats to the BJD in the event of an electoral alliance with the latter.

According to sources, five BJD leaders including its president Naveen Patnaik were leaving for New Delhi on December 27 for discussions with BJP. The BJD leaders are expected to thrash out the contentious seat-sharing issue in the State. Besides, the formal alliance between the two parties is likely to be announced there sometime in the first week of January.

Patnaik said the party was yet to start formal dialogue with the BJP for seat adjustments. He, however, did not rule out joint campaign by the BJD and BJP during the elections. But decision was yet to be taken in this regard, he added.

BJD vows to rally anti-Cong forces

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today reiterated its commitment to defeat the Congress in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. The first workers’ conference of the BJD presided over by party president Naveen Patnaik resolved to consolidate all anti-Congress forces in the State to achieve this end. The resolution also made it clear that the party would not make any type of understanding with political parties having direct or indirect links with the Congress.

To make its identity distinct from the BJP, the resolution said the BJD was committed to secularism and socialism. Talking to The Indian Express today, the BJD leader Ramakrushna Patnaik said his party was committed to secularism and socialism. He said that the BJD’s commitment to secularism would not pose any difficulty in having an electoral understanding with the BJP.

The resolution lashed out at those responsible for the death of Dal veteran Biju Patnaik and said people of the State would never forgive them.

Stating that central apathy and mismanagement of finances were responsible for the backwardness of the state, BJD announced that a ten-year integrated programme would be chalked out by the party to accelerate development of the State.