Setback for BJP, ally BJD dumps it in Orissa

ON HIS OWN: Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik says he is parting ways with the BJP.

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New Delhi/ Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Biju Janata Dal ended their decade-old alliance in Orissa on Saturday after failing to agree on the number of seats each party wanted to contest in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

Orissa Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik on Saturday evening announced in Bhubaneswar the parties would contest elections separately.

"Unfortunately the seat-sharing talks between BJD and BJP have failed. Therefore, we will go to the polls separately," he said. "The formula proposed by BJP is unacceptable to us."

Patnaik made the announcement minutes after a last round of talks he had with BJP Rajya Sabha MP Chandan Mitra, who had came to Bhubaneswar as special emissary of BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani.

BJD Rajya Sabha MP Jay Panda told CNN-IBN his party’s focus was on “win-ability” of seats and it could not agree with the BJP. "We unfortunately could not agree with the BJP. The focus was on winnability,” said Panda.

Panda refused to comment on whether the BJD would tie up with the Third Front, the eight-party alliance formed last week. “We will do whatever to protect Orissa's interests in the state and at the Centre,” said Panda.

BJP pulls out of Patnaik government

The BJP, after Patnaik’s statement, announced it was withdrawing support to his government. BJP legislature party leader Bishwabhushan Harichandan said his party with 30 MLAs has withdrawn support to the state government and would meet the Governor to convey their decision.

The BJP recently firmed up alliances with the Rashtriya Lok Dal in Uttar Pradesh and the Asom Gana Parishad in Assam but may have to look for more partners after losing the BJD.

CNN-IBN’s Chief Political Correspondent Sumit Pande reports the break-off in Orissa would hurt the BJP. The state has 147 Assembly seats and BJD wanted to contest more than 100 seats of them and leave around 40 for the BJP.

Of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the BJD wanted to contest 12 seats and leave nine for the BJP. The BJP wanted more Lok Sabha seats in lieu of giving the BJD Assembly seats but it failed in the bargaining.