Why, after fifteen years, is Naveen Patnaik’s BJD “forging alliance” with the BJP?

Prior to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seemed to be “forging an alliance” around the fundamental notion of “rising Odisha.” Naveen Patanaik’s party needs funding for a number of Odisha projects, according to sources who spoke to News18, and a “double engine government will help the state.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated at a recent event in Chandikhole, Jajpur district, that the past governments had never demonstrated an interest in seeing projects completed on schedule. He went on to say that the projects that had been delayed by the previous administrations were finished in the last ten years under the BJP-led Centre.

While the two parties did not formally declare their pre-poll alliance, the leaders of the BJD met for an extended period on Wednesday at Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s home, Naveen Niwas, in Bhubaneswar.

At a similar meeting in the nation’s capital, the leaders of the BJP spoke about election-related issues, including possible alliances.

BJD vice-president and MLA Debi Prasad Mishra confirmed talks regarding a potential alliance with the BJP after more than three hours of conversation, but she did not specifically confirm its creation.

“Biju Janata Dal would give the interests of the people of Odisha first priority. Indeed, talks on the partnership were had, Mishra confirmed to reporters.

Mishra said that Odisha has made great strides under Naveen Patnaik’s direction and emphasized the need to further the state’s development.

“An extensive discussion was held under the leadership of BJD president and CM Naveen Patnaik with the senior leaders of the party today regarding the strategy of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections,” according to a press release issued by Mishra and BJD’s senior general secretary Arun Kumar Sahoo.

Following a meeting chaired by BJP president JP Nadda in Delhi, MP Jual Oram, a senior BJP official, acknowledged having talks with the BJD about forming a pre-poll coalition. He did, however, state that the party’s central leadership would decide on the issue in the end.

“Yes, among other things, there were talks about the partnership. Oram, who was personally against the agreement, said that the ultimate decision will be made by the party’s central leadership.

Leading state figures attended the Nadda-chaired core committee meeting, including Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and President of the Odisha BJP, Manmohan Samal.

On February 29, both parties had earlier denied media stories speculating about a possible pre-election partnership.

The claims were brushed off as rumors by the BJP’s Odisha election in-charge, Vijay Pal Singh Tomar and BJD national spokesman Sambit Patra.

“BJD always thinks in the interest of the people of Odisha and as a whole for the state of Odisha,” BJD general secretary Arun Kumar Sahoo said to a news station. BJD will act in the people’s and the state’s best interests.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was there when a number of BJD and Congress leaders joined the BJP on Wednesday.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh responded to the rumors by stating, “We’ve always been saying that the BJD and the BJP are two sides of the same coin.” Any resistance that the two parties display to one another in the state is just shadow boxing, since the BJD has consistently backed the BJP in Parliament. It seems like the cat is getting out of the bag.