Bhubaneswar: Odisha witnessed a rare political development Thursday as the BJD exited from its NDA past to jointly field a common candidate with the Congress and CPI(M) in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, aiming to prevent the BJP from securing an additional seat in the Upper House.
While BJD leaders described the alliance as an understanding to prevent horse-trading in the RS elections, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das called it “historic.”
“For the first time in recent Odisha political history, like-minded parties have come together to support a common candidate. Naveen Patnaik’s BJD, Congress, and CPI(M) share a commitment to secularism,” Das said.
He added that the Congress high command immediately approved the understanding following Patnaik’s proposal.
“This is not a small incident; it marks a new chapter in Odisha’s political history,” he said.
Das was the first to propose the idea of a united opposition candidate to Patnaik for the Rajya Sabha to prevent horse trading in the polls. He sought an appointment with Patnaik and held a discussion to field a common candidate, which was later accepted by the CPI(M) too.
CPI(M) state general secretary Suresh Panigrahy termed the alliance “historic,” pointing to a broader national trend of secular forces uniting to protect the Constitution.
“One candidate is backed by BJP, the other by BJD, Congress, and CPI(M). This signals a new political direction,” he said.
Patnaik, who has repeatedly emphasised his secular credentials, refrained from commenting directly on a possible new political alignment but remarked, “Time will tell the future history.”
Incidentally, the new development came on the day when the state is observing the 110th birth anniversary of legendary Biju Patnaik, who was close to the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
However, Patnaik separated from the Congress in 1967 and formed Utkal Congress. He was elected to the Odisha Assembly three times on the Indian National Congress (INC) ticket till 1967.
Founded in 1997 after Biju Patnaik’s demise, BJD was an NDA ally until 2009, breaking away following communal riots in Kandhamal.
Since then, Patnaik has maintained a stance distancing himself from both the BJP and the Congress, labeling BJP as “communal” and the Congress as an “ocean of corruption.”
Despite this, BJD has often been accused of leaning towards the BJP, having supported BJP candidate Ashwini Vaishnaw in Rajya Sabha polls twice. This had drawn criticism from veteran Congress leader Narasingha Mishra, who called BJD and BJP “two sides of the same coin.”
Thursday’s joint appearance of Patnaik with Congress and CPI(M) leaders, however, signals a potential shift in Odisha’s political alignment, with implications extending beyond the Rajya Sabha polls.
