BHUBANESWAR: Politics makes strange bedfellows. And all eyes are riveted on the Congress and the BJP if and when they would be on the same page at least for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha polls. While the BJD would have a cakewalk for first two candidates, it does not have the number for the third. A combined BJP and Congress can possibly upset the applecart.But as speculations start doing the rounds for the March 30 polls, neither of the two parties seems inclined to make any such move. As of now, this looks a remote possibility nevertheless. Sources said influential sections of both the parties are opposed to support any independent candidate. ‘’How can the Congress and BJP be in the same platform by supporting an independent,’’ fumed a senior Congress leader questioning the wisdom behind such a move. In the event of a win, who would the independent member support in the Rajya Sabha, the leader said and advised the State leadership not to make the same mistake as the last time. Congress should extend support to a candidate if he/she publicly announces faith in the party’s ideologies, he said.For their part, several senior BJP leaders have not been so forthright but are speaking out on the kind of candidate. A truly independent candidate without party affiliation, a social worker of prominence or an eminent personality in any other field should be announced as the candidate.Meanwhile, the BJD too is yet to take a decision on its candidates. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has made it clear that the names would be announced after consultation with senior party leaders. The process will start after Naveen returns from New Delhi on March 10. Former speaker Kishore Kumar Mohanty (BJD), Rudranarayan Pany (BJP) and Sushila Tyria (Cong) will retire on April 3 causing three vacancies from the State.
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