**Bhubaneswar:** With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) surging ahead and PM Modi brand dominating the present political scene in India, the imminent presidential poll points at a future grand alliance of anti-BJP political parties.
While regional satraps like Nitish Kumar, Mamata Banerjee, Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav and others have initiated efforts to flock together in a bid to checkmate the saffron party, BJD supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is yet to open his mind on the suggested grand alliance reiterating that the general elections are far ahead and such a proposal is premature.
When JDU leaders Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav during their parley with Naveen at his Naveen Niwas had mooted before media for the re-union of all old Janata parivar, the BJD supremo had also then tried to evade the point. Even after the recent meeting with Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here, Naveen Patnaik harped on his same string keeping all guessing.
Prior to embarking on his 5-day official tour to New Delhi on Saturday, when he was queried by media here on BJD’s stand on the presidential poll, Naveen categorically replied, “No plans to that at the moment.”
On the other hand, BJD spokesperson Surya Narayan Patra in his media reactions said, “Hon’ble Chief Minister has already made it clear about our party stand that the right response will be at the appropriate time.”
Senior Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said, “Definitely Naveen Babu is keen on grand alliance, but doesn’t want to be exposed now as the CBI sword of Damocles is dangling over his party’s head due to the involvement of BJD leaders in mines and chit fund scams.”
On such a development, Odisha BJP general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan commented, “The political game plan before the presidential poll by certain parties is all valueless. The people of India and elected people’s representatives know well what will the arithmetic of the next presidential election.”
Senior journalist and political analyst Prabhu Kalyan Mohapatra viewed, “The presidential poll will lay the foundation for the anti-BJP grand alliance meant for the 2019 general elections. Given the present position of the political parties in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as well as the States, making a presidential candidate victorious is not an easy task. BJP lacks the requisite votes for making its presidential nominee win. Apart from this, if Congress and BJD don’t join hands in Odisha context, it would also pave path for BJP to wrest power here.”
Similarly, senior journalist and political analyst Dilip Bisoi opined, “Following the recent assembly poll results of five States, BJP’s position has improved, but the BJP-led NDA still lacks the required number of votes in favour of their presidential candidate they would field. Hence, votes need to be garnered from the parties outside the NDA. As Nitish Kumar is spearheading a movement to flock together anti-NDA parties on the eve of the presidential poll will definitely put BJP in trouble. Hence, it would erupt in a political war of wits, lobbying and above all horse-trading. BJP would seek to clinch votes from parties outside NDA by hook or by crook. If the anti-NDA political parties come out successful in the presidential poll, it will surely pose a lurking threat to BJP during the 2019 general elections.”
