No Alliance; we will win more than 117 Seats: Dama Rout

Insight Bureau: Odisha Minister Dr. Damodar Rout has sought to clarify his previous remarks, saying he never said there would be an alliance between BJD and Congress, but said all “secular” parties must united to stop communal BJP if needed.

“We don’t need an alliance in Odisha. We are self-sufficient and confident of winning more than 117 seats. We may go up, but won’t go down below 117. We will stop BJP in the state,” Dama added.

Earlier, BJD supremo and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has completely rejected the idea of any direct or indirect alliance with either Congress or BJP, saying his party would go alone and win another term on the basis of good work done for the people.