Shocked BJP blames BJD for alliance breakdown
After losing a critical ally in BJD, a shocked BJP chief Rajnath Singh on Sunday said that he could not "ever imagine" that Naveen Patnaik-led party would snap the 11-year-old ties with the saffron party which is now working on a fresh strategy ahead of the polls.
After losing a critical ally in BJD, a shocked BJP chief Rajnath Singh on Sunday said that he could not "ever imagine" that Naveen Patnaik-led party would snap the 11-year-old ties with the saffron party which is now working on a fresh strategy ahead of the polls.
"I feel it is unfortunate. We could not ever imagine that the BJP-BJD alliance will break down," Singh said
The saffron party accused the BJD of unilaterally breaking the alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the state.
"It was a decision of the BJD to break the alliance. Our party leaders are meeting to chalk out the future course of action," the BJP leader said.
According to sources, the BJP has not given up and the top leadership has activated "unofficial channels" to rescue the alliance.
"The late-night happening was unfortunate. It is not beneficial for both BJP and BJD. Non-Congress vote is sure to be divided but all is not over," a top party leader said.
The sources said that BJP is trying to convince the BJD that the Lok Sabha and the assembly elections under President's rule would be damaging to the Patnaik's party.
The only fear for the saffron brigade is of BJD siding with the Third Front, they said.