Samikhsya Bureau
While speaking to a national news channel during the election campaign for the second phase, Odisha chief minister and Biju Janata Dal chief Naveen Patnaik said three important things.
First, when asked about his opinion about Narendra Modi, Patnaik said he did not deserve a second chance as the Prime Minister. Second, about Congress president Rahul Gandhi, the Odisha chief minister said that he had to mature a bit more. Third, on the question of his support to a party forming government at the Centre, Patnaik said the BJD would support any party that supports the “just and legitimate” demands of Odisha.
These statements from Patnaik are significant, especially after the first phase of polling for four Lok Sabha and 28 assembly seats is over. Patnaik’s observations hint that he might have got positive feedback from the ground about BJD doing well in the state, and he is now planning to play a bigger role, that of a kingmaker, in the formation of the next government at the Centre.
The BJD won 20 out of 21 Lok Sabha seats in 2014. But the BJD MPs mostly stayed away from being overtly supportive of any party or coalition at the Centre keeping in line with the party’s “equidistance” stand. Nonetheless, they extended “issue based” support to some bills initiated by the National Democratic Alliance government headed by Modi.
But, it seems, after 2019 the BJD leadership has probably decided to intervene more forcefully at the Centre.
Parties like BJD, Trinamul Congress, Telengana Rashtra Samithi, YSR Congress are not attached to either the NDA or United Progressive Alliance led by the Congress, and they hold a sizable chunk of seats.
Many surveys by TV channels, including those loyal to the NDA government, have predicted a hung Parliament after 2019 elections. As most have said that the BJP might emerge as the largest party, it would be awfully short of majority. It may look out for support from the unattached regional parties including the BJD.
In the eventuality of the BJP being short of majority, Patnaik may back the NDA but not Modi, considering his opinion on latter’s second term. Importantly, Patnaik has not spoken very adversely about Gandhi, keeping the options open for post-poll dalliance with the UPA as well.
