HVK Archives: Orissa JD faction seeks tie-up with BJP
Orissa JD faction seeks tie-up with BJP - The Time of India
Rajaram Satapathy
()
1 April 1997
Title : Orissa JD faction seeks tie-up with BJP
Author : Rajaram Satapathy
Publication : The Time of India
Date : April 1, 1997
A group of Janata Dal (JD) MLAs in Orissa have favoured an alliance
with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state, in a move that
coincides with the political developments at the Centre.
A group of 13 JD MLAs, which organised an exclusive convention here
on Sunday, adopted a resolution seeking an immediate accord with
the BJP. The convention was attended by a large number of
grassroots party workers, newly-elected zilla parishad chairmen and
other functionaries.
According to former minister and JD legislature party general
secretary Prasanna Acharya they had always opposed the Dal assuming
power with the help of the Congress. "We knew such an arrangement
would prove to be suicidal," he said.
Speaking to reporters after the convention, Mr Acharya said there
was a "unanimous demand" from party workers for an alliance with
the BJP. He added that the meeting had resolved to communicate
this feeling to the party leadership.
Mr Acharya said four MLAs who could not attend the convention had
informed them of their support. The JD has a strength of 45 in the
147-member assembly.
He said the convention felt that the Congress had come to power in
the state only because of the "split in the non-Congress votes" and
the JD as the main opposition party should take the initiative to
"unite the major anti-Congress forces." To substantiate his point
he cited the zilla parishad elections in which the Congress was
defeated In nine districts "where the JD and BJP workers had formed
an alliance at the grassroots level."
Asked if the Central leadership would approve of a JD-BJP pact, Mr
Acharya replied, "It hardly matters. No one will wait for their
approval. The zilla parishad elections have shown what has to he
done."
Given the political uncertainties at the Centre and the growing
factionalism in the JD state unit, the Boudh convention is being
viewed as significant in all quarters. Speculation is rife that if
the party leadership fails to " honour the majority feeling", these
MLAs may quit the party.
Mr Acharya, however, evaded queries in this connection. "We are
all disciplined party members. We will not take any hasty
decisions," he said.
Former minister A.U. Singhdeo, who was present at the convention,
observed that it was high time that the JD read the writing on the
wall. He said the next meeting of the legislators would be held at
Sonepat on April 20.
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