Odisha BJP Prepares to Contest All 147 Assembly and 21 Lok Sabha Seats Amid Stalled Alliance Talks with BJD

The Odisha BJP is considering fielding candidates across all 147 assembly and 21 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, following unsuccessful pre-poll alliance negotiations and seat-sharing talks with the BJD in Delhi. BJP state president Manmohan Samal, along with other senior party leaders, returned to Bhubaneswar from the national capital, stating that no alliance discussions took place during their meeting with central leaders. Samal affirmed the party's determination to contest both elections independently, expressing confidence in BJP's electoral prospects in Odisha.

BJD leaders VK Pandian and Pranab Prakash Das, who had rushed to Delhi in a chartered flight on Thursday evening to discuss pre-poll alliance issues with BJP central leaders, also returned to Bhubaneswar. Upon their return, they maintained silence regarding the outcome of their discussions.

However, sources revealed that negotiations for an alliance between Odisha's ruling BJD and the opposition BJP encountered obstacles primarily concerning seat distribution.

Although both parties had tentatively agreed on a pre-poll alliance, disagreements arose regarding seat allocation. According to sources within the BJP, while the BJD aimed to contest over 100 seats out of the 147-member Odisha Assembly, this proposition was not agreeable to the BJP.

In the previous assembly, the regional party held 114 seats and initially insisted on 112 seats during discussions with the BJP. Around 75 percent of the assembly seats being demanded by the BJD are not acceptable to us, stated a senior BJP leader, expressing concerns that such an arrangement would detrimentally impact the saffron party's prospects in the state.