BJD holds meeting, keeps mum on possible alliance with BJP

The ruling Biju Janata Dal BJD of Odisha on Thursday held a meeting on poll preparations and strategies, but its leaders are tight-lipped about possible electoral tie-up with the BJP.The meeting was held at BJD president and state Chief Minister Naveen Patnaiks residence, in which senior leaders and district observers were present.

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) of Odisha on Thursday held a meeting on ''poll preparations and strategies'', but its leaders are tight-lipped about possible electoral tie-up with the BJP.

The meeting was held at BJD president and state Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's residence, in which senior leaders and district observers were present. After the meeting, BJD vice-president and MLA Debi Prasad Mishra told reporters that the party discussed poll preparations, strategies and the situation in each constituency. He said Patnaik gave certain suggestions to the party observers, who presented reports of the ground situation. Mishra avoided questions on the party's possible alliance with the BJD.

Earlier in the day, BJD national spokesperson Santrupt Misra had said that the party leadership would inform the media about the issue at the appropriate time.

This was the second meeting of top BJD leaders after the talks on the possible alliance started making the rounds. They had met earlier on March 6, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Odisha.

Mishra then on March 6 had said that the regional party will do "everything" for the larger interest of the state while replying to a question on the possible pre-poll alliance with the BJP.

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