Several BJD MLAs in touch with BJP in Odisha?

Are the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLAs in touch with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) camp ahead of the crucial 2024 general elections in Odisha? Such speculations are now rife after senior BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra recently claimed that senior BJD leader and Sambalpur district president, Rohit Pujari was inclined towards the saffron party after he was dropped from the Naveen Patnaik cabinet.

Mishra’s statements came after Pujari trained his guns at the BJP heavyweight at Sambalpur on Sunday. Pujari claimed that the BJP is importing leaders from other Parliamentary constituencies to Sambalpur.

Hitting back, Mishra said Pujari had contacted him over the phone two days after being dropped from the Naveen Patnaik cabinet as minister. According to Mishra, Pujari had told him that he was not feeling safe in BJD.

Responding to Mishra’s claims, Pujari today refuted to have called the BJP leader. He said that Mishra didn’t know what he was talking about. Pujari also questioned whether Mishra is distributing tickets in BJP?

“I have never called him (Mishra) and I know that he was undergoing some treatment. I had no idea that Mishra was distributing tickets as I knew that it was being done from Delhi. He (Mishra) should think about his ticket first then about others,” mocked Pujari.

Amidst the ongoing war of words, the entire political ambience in Sambalpur has heated up. Under such circumstances, the question remains whether the BJD MLAs are in touch with the BJP camp in Odisha? If yes, how many leaders and what could be the possible reasons behind it?

It is being said that several BJD MLAs are unhappy with the functioning of the party. Apart from this, they are in a dilemma whether they will again get BJD tickets to contest in the upcoming election or not. It is said that many are in touch with the BJP fearing that their tickets might be cut from the BJD.

Similarly, a lot of aspirants from the BJD are also thinking of BJP as an alternative if they fail to get tickets. Earlier, the state BJP president had told several times that many BJD leaders are in touch with him.

Senior journalist, Rabi Das said, “All fear that there is anti-incumbency as the government has been in power for long. If there is rebellion it will create problems. BJP is an alternative option as they are in power at the Centre.”