Bhubaneswar: Speculations are rife in Odisha’s political circles as Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has called an emergency meeting of senior party leaders at his residence, Naveen Niwas, in Bhubaneswar on Thursday afternoon. The meeting comes amidst growing talks of the regional party potentially rejoining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Senior leaders of the BJD and the party’s district observers have been summoned to attend the crucial meeting. Sources suggest that the primary agenda of the gathering will revolve around the ongoing deadlock in seat-sharing negotiations with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Adding fuel to the speculation, Odisha BJP Chief Manmohan Samal hinted at the possibility of an alliance between the BJP and the BJD upon his return from New Delhi. Speaking to reporters at the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) today, Samal stated, “The procedure is on and everything is on the right path. We are discussing all aspects.”
This statement follows a previous assertion by Samal earlier this week, where he refuted discussions on the issue of an alliance with the BJD, dismissing them as mere rumors.
Reports suggest that the state BJP leadership, which has been stationed in New Delhi for the past three days, held a closed-door meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday evening. During the meeting, Shah purportedly discussed an acceptable seat-sharing formula with the party leaders from Odisha.
However, both parties have refrained from making any formal announcements regarding the speculated alliance.
