BJP will alone form government in Odisha: State party chief

Bhubaneswar: Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal on Thursday asserted that his party will form the next government in the state "on its own", amid talks of a pre-poll alliance with the BJD.

Samal, who along with senior state BJP leaders held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Wednesday night on the possibility of the alliance, did not make any reference to such a prospect.

“BJP will form the government in the state alone with the blessings and cooperation of people,” he told reporters after returning from the national capital in the morning.

Leaders of the BJD were also set to hold a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the afternoon over the issue.

Simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the assembly will be held in Odisha.