The renewed bonhomie between the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has now become the point of discussion soon after the recent Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s Odisha visit. However, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda on Sunday tried to put an end to such speculations by ruling out any alliance with the Naveen Patnaik-led party here in Odisha.
While responding to media queries in Bhubaneswar, Munda categorically said that there is no possibility of any coalition with the BJD now or in the near future.
“As far as the Parliamentary election is concerned, it will happen as it was in the last election. The Centre always wants the development of all states and work in coordination. The work of organisation is completely different and strategies are chalked out accordingly. There is no such topic of alliance in Odisha now or in the coming days,” said Munda.
Munda further said the BJP is in a good position and the party will perform well in the upcoming elections.
Apart from Arjun Munda, Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw also arrived in Odisha today on a two-day visit. He is scheduled to attend various programmes in Konark and Cuttack.
Earlier on Saturday, Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav said that the BJP will fight the general elections alone in Odisha and form the government here too.
“There is no alliance between the BJD and the BJP. We will fight alone in Odisha and we will also form the government on our own,” he said yesterday.
Speaking on the issue, BJD MP Munna Khan said, “Yesterday, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav and our party leader had ruled out any coalition. Hence, there is no question of any alliance.”
Khan further said, “Election is due in next 6 to 7 months and the state government has been serving people in the past several years and it is announcing projects. It has nothing to do with early polls. BJD believes in a federal structure and it extends support and opposes as per Odisha’s interests. Since 2019, we are fighting elections alone and will continue to do so."