Is BJD playing both BJP and Congress?

Odisha is currently witnessing a new political culture that the state had never seen before, claimed the BJP while accusing the ruling BJD of being a political opportunist.

BJP MLA Jayanarayan Mishra alleged that the BJD is willfully striking deal with the Congress in Odisha while at the same time, it is trying to manage the party's relationship with the BJP at the Centre. The BJD is playing this double game for its own interest, alleged the legislator.

Mishra alleged that the BJD is trying to 'manage' the BJP at the Centre by extending support in the Parliament. However, BJD's Sushant Singh claimed that the party has the strength and hence, they don't need 'manage politics'.

"They (BJD) were trying to manage at the Centre, but failed. They have been trying to strike a deal by extending support to all Bills in the Houses. But, we are trying to counter them," said Mishra.

Responding to the claims, Singh said, "Why will we manage? We have the power, strength and support of the people here. We are not in need of any deal.”

Such allegations have surfaced after the recently concluded Padampur bypoll. While the BJD retained the Assembly seat, the debacle of Congress raised many eyebrows with the BJP accusing the state leaders of the grand old party of entering into a deal with the BJD to divert its vote. 

While Jayanarayan Mishra alleged that the BJD managed to win the Padampur bypoll by over 42000 votes due to its secret deal with the Congress, the BJD claimed that the saffron party had won the Assembly seat in 2014 by securing Congress votes. 

"They (BJP) are the masters of 'deal politics'. In 2014, they won the Padampur seat by making a deal with Congress. They even won the Dhamnagar bypoll by striking a deal with Rajendra Das (dissident BJD leader)," claimed BJD leader and Odisha Revenue Minister, Pramila Mallik.

However, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jayanarayan Mishra refuted the claims and said, "They (BJD) are experts in deals, we don't need such things. In Dhamnagar, BJD’s Raju Das went against them; what did we do? We hadn't entered into any deal with anyone."

Mishra further said, "Had the Congress fought the 2019 general elections in the right way (without any deal with the BJD), the BJP would have formed the government in Odisha."

Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati lashed out at both parties and alleged that there was a deal between the BJP and the BJD, and the Dhamnagar and the Padampur Assembly seats were shared accordingly between them.

(Reported by Harihar Chand)