PTI

Bhubaneshwar, Mar 11: The disquiet over the Kandhamal riots, mutually acceptable seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha polls and the poor show of the saffron ally in recent civic elections could have contributed in equal measure to the parting of ways between the BJD and BJP after 11 years.

Forty three people were killed and scores of villages set ablaze in the August 23 riots in Kandhamal district following the assassination of VHP leader Swami Laxamananda Saraswati.

Patnaik's image as a "secular" leader took a beating as thousands of people fled their villages and took shelter in relief camps as mobs allegedly owing allegiance to the Sangh Parivar attacked churches and houses in Kandhamal district.

Over 2,500 people are still living in the camps. In further embarrassment to the chief minister, Sangh Parivar decided to observe a statewide bandh on Christmas day and the BJP supported the call. Patnaik had to speak to BJP central leaders before the issue could be resolved.

Besides, a section of the BJP legislators even caused a ruckus in the assembly on the killing of the Swami demanding that the party should withdraw support to the Patnaik government.

"These incidents could have prompted the BJD supremo to weigh his options and part ways with a party which had tried to embarrass him on several occasions," political analyst Rabi Das said.

Senior BJD MP Pyarimohan Mohapatra, who is being described as the regional outfit's main strategist, said, "the BJP was attempting a Hindutva agenda in Kandhamal which the party did not approve of."

Asked whether it was the cause behind the break-up of the alliance, the former IAS officer said, "it is one of the factors."

Das recalled that BJP's National Vice-President Jual Oram had demanded that the party should withdraw support to the government in the wake of the killing of 12 tribals in police firing at Kalinga Nagar on January 2, 2006.

Oram also led a campaign against the government move to allot the Khandadhar iron ore mines in north Orissa to South Korean steel major Posco.

Also, Patnaik was not in favour of conceding the number of Lok Sabha and assembly seats to the alliance partner this time as was done in 2004 as the thrust was on "winnability", a senior BJD leader said.