Seat Allocation Deadlock Hampers Talks Between Odisha's BJD And BJP For Assembly And Lok Sabha Elections

Negotiations between Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have hit a roadblock as both parties struggle to agree on seat allocation ahead of the simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state.

As reported by India TV, the BJD, aiming for over 100 seats in the 147-member Odisha assembly, faced resistance from the BJP, which finds such an allocation unacceptable.

Additionally, the BJP had sought 14 of Odisha's 21 Lok Sabha seats, a request promptly rejected by the BJD.

In the 2019 general election, the BJD secured 12 seats, while the BJP clinched eight.

Meanwhile, talks held in Delhi stumbled over disagreements, notably over key constituencies like Bhubaneswar and Puri, leading to a standoff.

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Upon his return to Bhubaneswar, BJP state president Manmohan Samal hinted at his party's readiness to contest all 147 assembly and 21 Lok Sabha constituencies in Odisha independently.

Despite the discussions, no concrete decision emerged until Friday (8 March) afternoon.

The BJD and BJP's alliance history dates back around 11 years, from 1998 to 2009, spanning three Lok Sabha and two assembly elections.

Initially formed in 1998 when the Janata Dal split, the alliance saw success, securing 17 to 19 seats in general elections, with the vote share peaking at 48.7 per cent in 1998.

The seat-sharing ratio then stood at 4:3, with the BJD contesting 84 assembly and 12 Lok Sabha seats, while the BJP fought in 63 assembly and nine Lok Sabha seats.

However, BJD and BJP had split in 2009, attributed to failed seat-sharing negotiations.

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