V.K. Pandian, the close aide of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, on Wednesday alleged that the BJP was attempting to win 50 seats in the Assembly election and then split the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
“I would openly say that this (intention to break the BJD after election) is their internal strategy. They are not fighting to form the government, but to increase their tally,” Mr. Pandian told reporters during campaigning.
He said the BJP adopted the tactic of breaking parties in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. “But Odisha’s people would never repose faith in the BJP, they trust Naveen babu,” he said.
Asked about BJP ministers and top leaders campaigning in Odisha for the election, Mr. Pandian, the BJD’s chief campaign strategist, said, “In 2014, all of them had come and held numerous meetings. People of Odisha gave them a befitting reply.”
“In the last two elections, Naveen babu was pitted against an entire army of leaders called from across the country. It would be the same in 2024. People of Odisha would bless the Chief Minister again,” he said.
Mr. Pandian said had he not been convinced about the BJD winning the Assembly election, he would not have said that Mr. Patnaik would be sworn in as the Chief Minister between 11.30am and 1 pm on June 9.
In the 2019 election, the BJD had won 112 seats leaving the BJP and the Congress distant second and third with 23 and nine seats respectively in the 147-seat Assembly. This time, the BJP hopes to do better riding on an anti-incumbency factor. Mr. Patnaik is now seeking a sixth straight term and may go on to become the longest serving Chief Minister in the country.
On May 6, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Berhampur that the BJP would form the next government in the State. Mr. Modi said his party would name the Chief Minister on June 6 and hold the oath-taking ceremony on June 10.
Mr. Modi’s words have boosted the morale of the State BJP members who say unless the Prime Minister was sure of the election outcome, he would not have made such an announcement. “There is a massive undercurrent against the BJD government. The ruling party is stunned after seeing the support for the BJP,” said Sajjan Sharma, a BJP spokesperson.
