By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: There is a slim to negligible chance of a BJD-Congress understanding or alliance for the 4 Odisha Rajya Sabha seats (polling on March 16, 2026), based on the latest developments as of February 19.
Congress has actively pushed for coordination since late January 2026, primarily to target the contested 4th seat (BJP is set for 2 guaranteed + strong shot at a 3rd; BJD for 1 guaranteed). Odisha Congress leaders have repeatedly proposed:
Fielding a joint “eminent Odia personality” (non-political figure) as an Independent, backed by BJD (≈48-50 MLAs) + Congress (14 MLAs) = 62-64 votes. This easily clears the 31-vote quota with surplus.
Or BJD fielding a 4th candidate with Congress support.
Or Congress backing a BJD nominee — all aimed at blocking BJP from sweeping 3 seats.
Key Congress statements:
OPCC chief Bhakta Charan Das: Sought a meeting with Naveen Patnaik (in first week of Feb, then reiterated post-EC announcement); “If Congress and BJD unite, a candidate can win… though we are not sure whether they would join hands.”
CLP leader Rama Chandra Kadam : “Congress has proposed that the BJD either field a candidate for the fourth seat with its support or back a Congress nominee to prevent the BJP from winning it.” Party is open to a joint candidate.
BJD’s response so far: Complete silence / no formal response from Naveen Patnaik or BJD leadership. Multiple reports describe BJD as “cold” to the overtures; no meeting has been confirmed or held. BJD remains tight-lipped overall on its strategy for the 4th seat.
Why the chance is very low
BJD has a history of pragmatic, issue-based cooperation with the ruling BJP on Rajya Sabha matters (e.g., backing Ashwini Vaishnaw in 2019 & 2024). Current buzz is far stronger around a BJP-BJD consensus candidate (eminent Odia personality) for the 4th seat rather than any opposition tie-up.
Naveen Patnaik has given no positive signal; BJD sources and analysts see little incentive for the regional party to team up with a weakened Congress (which was routed in 2024 assembly polls).
Arithmetic for Congress+BJD works on paper for one extra seat, but surpluses in STV system and cross-voting make it dependent on full BJD commitment — which is absent.
“The BJD has not responded to the proposal… no clarification whether Naveen Patnaik is interested to meet.”
Congress is trying hard to create an anti-BJP front for the 4th seat, but BJD has shown zero enthusiasm. The more probable scenarios remain:
BJP 2 + BJD 1 + consensus (BJP-BJD backed) 1, or BJP managing 3 through surpluses/cross-voting.
Nominations close only on March 5, so last-minute shifts are theoretically possible, but current signals point to no BJD-Congress deal. BJD appears positioned to either go solo on its 1 seat or quietly facilitate a face-saving outcome with the ruling party.
