To be or not to be but the purported alliance between the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) in Odisha has so far remained one of the most talked about topics in Indian politics.

Friends to become the foes and now again realign for the coming 2024 elections has indeed become a very delicate track where slight imbalance in the deals may transform things to become a very big political turmoil  for the BJD in particular.

The BJD which does not require the crutches of the BJP for a smooth sailing in Lok Sabha and the Assembly polls, apparently has been pressurised by the BJP for an alliance after a hiatus of over 15 years since they parted ways But the process appeared to have hit a hurdle as the BJP has started opening its mouth more than what it did initially. Now they have reached a point when the BJP’s bargain over seat sharing can ostensibly be dubbed as arm-twisting the BJD for the obvious reasons like retaliation from the saffron camp, in case, to use the non-political tool like probe agencies for alleged involvement of BJD’s leaders in a chit-fund scam.       

What has come out from a marathon talk at the residence of the Union Home minister Amit Shah, in Delhi, on Wednesday does not bode well for the BJD.

Reportedly, earlier the BJP had planned to fight from 55 Assembly seats and leave BJD the rest 92 in the house of 147 which perhaps could have lent some edge for the BJP only in case of an alliance between the two.

Sources in the BJP fear that the talks may get into a jeopardy as the BJP has changed its mind and now has indicated to contest from more than 55 Assembly seats in Odisha that has led the talk to a deadlock .

Even on the other side the BJP is bargaining for 14 out of total 21 Lok Sabha seats leaving the BJD to remain content with just 7 Lok sabha seats. Which is in sharp contrast to what the BJD was in the last 24 years being in the driving seat.

From 12 Lok sabha seats in 2019 now down to 7 has sparked a visible anger in the BJD camp and what is more panicky for the BJD leadership is that there are whispers of revolt underneath as cadres are reluctant to brook such drastic maginalistion at the eleventh hour.

“ We have been with the BJD right from the word go and our commitment for the party does not deserve such last moment curtailments at this juncture. Naveen Patnaik should show the guts of political resilience and stay firm in order to stop the overdrive by the BJP” a senior BJD leader confided.

Congress in advantage       

What is clear that the truce between the two earlier alliance partners, even if done in such a climate of stubborn posturing by the BJP, the only potential political fallout can be that the Congress in Odisha may add to its vote percentage of 24% in 2019 and emerge as a reasonably good opposition.  

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