Press Trust of India

Bhubaneswar, Mar 8: In a major setback to NDA ahead of Lok Sabha polls, the 11-year-old alliance between ruling BJD and its coalition partner BJP in Orissa collapsed on Saturday night as their seat-sharing talks failed and the saffron party hit back by withdrawing supporting to BJD-led government.

However, BJD, which heads the government with 61 MLAs, appeared safe as it was close to mustering the support of 14 more MLAs from JMM (4), CPI (1), CPI(M)(1) and eight independents necessary to reach the majority mark of 74 in the 147-member State Assembly.

"Unfortunately, the seat-sharing talks between BJD and BJP have failed. Therefore, we will go to the polls separately", Orissa Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik told reporters here after marathon seat-sharing talks between the two parties here.

"The formula proposed by BJP is unacceptable to us", he said.

Patnaik's announcement came minutes after a last round of talks he had with BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Chandan Mitra who was here as special emisary of BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani.

The last-ditch effort to save the alliance failed when BJP rejected BJD's proposal for lesser number of seats in both Lok Sabha and Assembly segments than the previous ratio of 4:3.

Late in the night, BJP legislature party leader Bishwabhushan Harichandansaid his party with 30 MLAs has withdrawn support to Naveen Patnaik government. He said his party would meet the Governor and convey its decision.