Bhubaneswar , March 13:Close-door talks between the BJP and BJD regarding a pre-poll alliance in Odisha seem to have hit a roadblock.

Despite several rounds of discussions, no such progress has been made, and the announcement of freebies by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has fueled speculation that negotiations may be stalling. In the BJP camp, discussions at Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's Delhi residence have not yielded positive results. Bargaining over seats appears to have become challenging.  On Wednesday, BJP state Unit headed by President Manmohan Samal met Union Home Minister Amit Shah  amid the ongoing alliance talks with the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

This comes days after Manmohan Samal said there was no discussion on alliance with BJD during a party meeting on poll preparation.  Meanwhile, the BJD remains tight-lipped, although Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik met top leaders at Navin Niwas. While the alliance issue was discussed, other election-related matters were also on the agenda.

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As the BJP plans a grand NDA dinner on March 14, a clearer picture may emerge. If there is progress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi could make the final decision on seat-sharing. 

Simultaneously, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s series of announcements, including increased remuneration for Mayors and urban body representatives, sarpanches and other elected representatives of PRIs, suggests that the ruling party is prepared to go it alone if alliance talks fail. It is said that both parties have agreed that the BJP will contest 13 Lok Sabha seats, while the BJD will contest eight. 

Notably, Bhubaneswar and Keonjhar Lok Sabha seats have become contentious points of discussion between BJD and BJP. 

Also Read: Amid alliance talks, CM Naveen holds party meeting