By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, March 14, 2024: The ongoing talks for a renewed alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha seems heading towards a deadlock, as both the parties are reportedly unwilling to compromise on certain seat-sharing demands as of now.

It appears that the prolonged talks at the residence of the Union Home minister Amit Shah, in Delhi, on Wednesday did not bode well for the BJD. The BJP had demanded 55 Assembly seats and leave the rest 92 for BJD in the house of 147. This, perhaps, could have given an edge to BJP in case of an alliance. BJP is also said to be bargaining for 14 out of the total 21 Lok Sabha seats, leaving BJD to remain content with just seven parliamentary seats. This is in sharp contrast to what BJD being in the driver’s seat in the past 24 years.

From 12 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 down to seven has sparked visible jitters in the BJD camp. What setting in more panic for the BJD leadership are murmurs of revolt among party cadres who are said to be reluctant to accept such drastic marginalization at the 11th hour.

The talks may fail as BJP seems to have changed its mind and has signaled that it may contest from 100 Assembly seats in Odisha. This reportedly has led to the stand-off between the two former allies.

If the truce between the two earlier alliance partners works out, the Congress in Odisha may add to its vote percentage of 24% in 2019 and emerge as a reasonably good Opposition in Odisha Assembly, political observers said.