NCP calls off ties with alliance BJD in Orissa

Bhubaneswar: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday severed its two year-long alliance with the ruling BJD in Orissa, accusing it of not respecting the coalition "dharma".

The decision to sever ties was taken at NCP state executive meeting here presided over by its president Utkal Keshari Parida and attended by other senior leaders.

"We have decided to sever all ties with BJD as it did not understand the value of friendship in politics," Parida said.

The party felt that it was being ignored by BJD leadership though it been giving supporting without any conditions.

"We had supported BJD in the last Rajya Sabha elections without any condition. We also gave all support to it both inside the Assembly and outside," Parida said.

The state executive meet felt that its minimum demands were not being addressed, he said, adding that "we may be a small party, but NCP leaders and its MLAs have self-respect."

Party supremo Sharad Pawar has been informed of the development, he said.

Parida said though the party's four MLAs were assured by Patnaik of budgetary provision in the state plan for development of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Dhenkanal districts, it had not been fulfilled yet.

The BJD also did not set up a coordination team for a better understanding between the two parties, he said.

"How long can we continue with this attitude of the BJD leadership ?" he asked and added that NCP was against the state government's farmers policy.

"We are also opposed to transfer of land belonging to Sri Jagannath temple to the proposed Vedanta University in Puri."

NCP's sudden decision has taken by surprise the political circle here as it had all along supported BJD during the recently concluded winter session of the Assembly.

The party had forged a seat adjustment with BJD during the 2009 general election and won in four Assembly segments while the regional outfit bagged 103 seats.

It had become a valuable partner for the regional outfit after Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik severed his party's decade-long ties with BJP.