BJP may improve in Odisha, but dethroning BJD difficult: Expert

Commenting on the state of Odisha politics, where a number of leaders are switching parties, political analyst CK Nayak said that the BJP may improve its position, but will find it difficult to oust the ruling BJD.

New Delhi: Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, turncoats are on the rise in Odisha's politics, as a number of leaders are joining new parties after being denied tickets.

However, BJD President and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has shown full confidence in winning the elections. Even political analysts seem to agree with Patnaik's statement.

Speaking exclusively to ETV Bharat, senior journalist and Odisha political analyst CK Nayak said, "Politics is always unpredictable, but going by the previous trend, BJD has been in power for the last 20 years. BJP and Congress are forever aspiring to defeat BJD, but they have been unsuccessful."

"In the last Panchayat elections, both the parties performed better, but could not perform to the extent that they could dethrone BJD from power," he added.

Opining that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's multiple visits to the state will work in favour of the saffron party, Nyak said, "Going by the latest trends, I think BJP may improve its position as a number of BJD leaders have joined the party. Prime Minister has come to the state several times and has also launched infrastructure and Railway projects. Hence, they may improve their position, but are not in a state to dethrone BJD."

Soon after the polls were declared on March 10, as many as three MPs and four MLAs joined the BJP by resigning from BJD. Explaining about the trend of "Aya Rams, Gaya Rams", Nayak said, "People who failed to get the tickets or those who thought that they might lose, are switching their political parties. This is definitely opportunistic politics."

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