The Congress on Thursday alleged that the BJD’s acquiescence to the BJP’s demand for an electoral alliance stemmed from apprehensions regarding CBI and ED investigations.

The party launched a vigorous critique against the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD and the saffron party, amidst ongoing efforts by their leaders to negotiate a mutually agreeable seat-sharing arrangement.

A senior BJP figure hinted at an imminent formal announcement regarding the alliance. “Home minister Amit Shah is expected to visit the state on March 12. We anticipate that senior leaders from both parties will then unveil details of the alliance. State BJP leaders convened at the residence of the party’s Odisha in-charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar in New Delhi on Thursday to deliberate on seat-sharing,” the official said.

Speaking at a news conference, Pradesh Congress Committee president Sarat Pattanayak said: “Under the BJD regime, corruption has reached unprecedented levels — be it the mining scam or the chit fund scam. The government is mired in a string of scandals and corruption cases. The Naveen Patnaik administration dreads the CBI and ED investigations. In a bid to safeguard themselves, BJD leaders have capitulated
to the BJP.”

He added: “Their revival of the alliance with the BJP is not in the state’s or its people’s interests but for their self-serving motives.”

Pattanayak said that despite the collapse of the BJD-BJP alliance in 2009, the BJD had been aligning itself with the BJP’s directives. This explains why they have consistently supported the BJP within Parliament on all matters.