OGP and JD(S) unit of Orissa merged with NCP

Sep 25: Searching for an alternative to the present BJD-BJP coalition in Orissa, two of the major opposition parties: the Orissa Gana Parishad and Janata Dal (Secular) have merged with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to cement their position in the state.

On Monday several senior leaders of BJD, BJP and Congress in a function organised on this occasion joined their hands with NCP in order to find an alternative power to BJD which is in rule for over seven years after the departure of Janaki Ballav Patnaik led Congress.

The Biju Janata Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in the state has so far left no option for the opposition parties as far development is concerned though in the paper work only. But as some of key leaders of OGP, NCP and even Congress felt that it is important to come up with a coalition policy like the present UPA alliance in centre in order to challenge the present state government.

Some of the big names like the OGP president Bijoy Mohapatra, president of JD(S) State unit Ashok Das, former BJD legislator Nanbin Nanda from Dhenkanal and some BJP leaders like Anadi Sahu, Prasanta Nanda have come forward with NCP to make a strong alliance. NCP leaders P.A. Sangma, Praful Patel and D.P. Tripathy were also present in the welcome ceremony.

However, as far as the present status of NCP in Orissa is concerned then it is nowhere and only the association of Congress can make a big difference. Hence NCP leader P.A. Sangma said that the association will workout for a State Committee that will work for further organizational development. Replying to the question of any alliance with Congress, he said that it can be best viewed only when there will be an election in the state.

Replying to the present political development the Chief Minister of state Naveen Patnaik said “NCP will not have any political future in Orissa”.

It is to be believed that several dissident leaders of both BJP and BJD have joined the new alliance though BJD has refuted it completely. If NCP in the coming days is going to have some impact on the state politics then together with Congress can certainly proved to be a disaster for BJD-BJP coalition.