Odisha likely to see new political coalition: Ex-CM’s son

The father-son duo of Giridhar Gamang and Sishir Gamang quit the BJP on January 25 and announced they would soon join the Bharat Rasthra Samithi (BRS) headed by Telangana CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao

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.