BJP-BJD coalition collapse:BJD in Third front

"The party's central leadership will come out with an official response on the issue only after the meeting of its office-bearers tomorrow," BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said last night.

BJP Legislature party last night met Orissa Governor M C Bhandare and intimated him its decision to pull out from the government.The party also demanded President’s rule in the state stating that the government had reduced to minority after their withdrawal.The BJD-BJP combination has 61 and 32 MLA respectively in the 147 member Orissa Assembly.However, BJD govt appeared safe as it was close to mustering the support of 14 more MLAs from JMM (4), CPI (1), CPI-M (1) and eight independents necessary to reach the majority mark of 74 in the 147-member state assembly.Coming out of the Raj Bhawan BJP Legislature party leader Biswa Bhusan Harichandan told the waiting newsmen that the Governor had a patient hearings and assured the BJP delegation that he would take appropriate steps in the right time.The BJP Leader said the people of Orissa have voted for the alliance in the last Assembly elections and not for Naveen Patnaik or the Biju Janata Dal.
He said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has closed the chapter of long eleven years of alliance by unilaterally declaring to contest the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state separately.Naveen Patnaik-led BJD last night said it was not averse to join the third front, being cobbled up by left parties and others.”We are not averse to join the third front. If the parties trying a third alternative approach us we will certainly consider their proposal,” BJD MP and party’s chief strategist Pyari Mohan Mohapatra told reporters in Bhubaneswar. Mohapatra’s statement assumes significance as it came a day after CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury made it clear that the third front would include BJD in its fold if the regional outfit severed its relationship with “communal” BJP.BJP meets today in New Delhi after withdrawing support to the BJD-led government in Orissa, the BJP has convened an urgent meeting of its central officers-bearers in New Delhi on Sunday to discuss the future course of action.”The party’s central leadership will come out with an official response on the issue only after the meeting of its office-bearers tomorrow,” BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said last night.Party President Rajnath Singh will be present on the occasion.
BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani, who is out of the capital and is scheduled to address a public rally in Dehradun Sunday, is likely to rush back as soon as possible.