Speculations are rife in political circles in Odisha about a possible understanding and seat adjustment in the state between the two opposition parties, the BJD and the Congress. While BJD(Biju Janata Dal), the Naveen Patnaik led regional outfit, is the principal opposition party in the state, Congress is the second biggest opposition. Both consider ruling BJP(Bharatiya Janata Party) as their common political opponent.

         The news of a possible tie up between the two opposition parties to take on the ruling BJP during the future electoral battles in the state first hit the headlines when both the parties decided to field a common candidate during the last Rajya Sabha elections. Though the common candidate was defeated following cross voting by several BJD and Congress legislators, the development assumed political significance as this was for the first time the Naveen Patnaik led regional outfit was having any political allingment with the Congress.

            The BJD, I may be recalled, had joined hands with the BJP to form government in the state soon after its birth. Both parted ways after fighting elections from one platform for almost a decade.

           After the political development during the Rajya Sabha polls, a number of state Congress leaders had hinted that their party may go for seat adjustments with the BJD during the coming panchayat and municipal elections.

         However, during a recent media interview PCC president Bhakta Charan Das said that his party would fight the local bodies’ polls alone. ‘’We will fight the panchayat and municipal elections on our own strength’’, he said. He, however, did not rule out the possibility of a Congress-BJD alliance during the 2029 state assembly elections. This statement has kept the speculations on the possible tie up between both the parties alive.

       Political analysts, nevertheless, are of the view that the BJD would be doing apolitical hara-kiri if it will go for any kind of alliance with the Congress. Explaining, they said, if a regional outfit formed on an anti-Congress platform sides with the party(Congrss) then it tends to erode the faith and support of its core voters which ultimately leads to disastrous consequences for the party(the regional outfit).

        A case in point, according to analysts, is Maharashtra based Shiv Sena. ‘’All are aware what happened to Shiv Sena. The BJD may have to face a similar situation if the party decided to have an alliance with the Congress’’, said a Bhubaneswar based senior analyst.

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