Odisha politics: Here's why a new coalition might be taking shape

Odisha is likely to witness a new political coalition comprising all parties opposed to the BJD, BJP and Congress ahead of the 2024 general elections, former chief minister Giridhar Gamang’s son Sishir said.

The father-son duo quit the BJP on Wednesday and announced they would soon join the Bharat Rasthra Samithi (BRS) headed by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

Although he did not mention the date of their joining the BRS, he said on Thursday that the party intends to field candidates in all the 147 assembly constituencies and 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha.

Asked how a party, which has hardly any presence in the state, would field so many candidates, he said BRS will have an understanding with "like-minded parties other than the BJD, Congress and BJP" and try to put up nominees in most of the seats.

He said possible coalition partners could be the Aam Aadmi Party, Left parties, RJD, SP and other regional parties.

He said BRS will focus on southern Odisha, which has a large Telugu-speaking population.

The party hopes to bag at least five Lok Sabha seats including Koraput, Nabarangur, Aska, Berhampur and Kandhamal, and 35 assembly segments coming under these constituencies, he said.

Sishir Gamang said K Chandrasekhar Rao has deep knowledge of Odisha and its culture.

He indicated that his father may head BRS in Odisha. The former chief minister, however, remained tight-lipped on the party’s plans in the state.

Apart from the Gamang father-son duo, the BRS has also held discussions with several others leaders of the state including former MP Jayaram Pangi, Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) convenor Akshay Kumar and others to expand the Telangana-based party's support base in the state.

A senior functionary of NNKS, which has been spearheading farmers' issues in the state, claimed that the southern state has achieved impressive growth under BRS rule.