Bhubaneswar, Jan. 5: The BJP today ruled out any pre-poll alliance with the BJD or any other political party in the state for the forthcoming general elections. But, the party will keep its option open for post-poll alliances.

“We will not form any sort of pre-poll alliance with the BJD,” said party’s Odisha’s in-charge Chandan Mitra. Asked whether the party would seek the help of others such as the BJD, he said: “Nothing can be ruled out in politics. Let the elections be over first.”

Mitra was also categorical that the party would have no trucks with the rebel BJD leader Pyari Mohan Mohapatra’s newly formed Odisha Jan Morcha (OJM). The latter had said earlier that he was in touch with the BJP leadership for an alliance in the state.

On being asked if a situation emerges and the BJD’s support is required, Mitra asked, “ Why are you insisting on that? We should now talk of pre-poll issues.” He also said that the party would go by the decision of the state unit and the central leadership on this issue.

Incidentally, when the BJD had severed its alliance with the BJP shortly before the 2009 general elections, Mitra had held discussions with the BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik to save the tie-up.

Mitra said: “We had raised various issues (when the BJP was the coalition partner). We had warned the chief minister about the mining scam, but he did not feel comfortable with us. Naveen felt that the BJP would ask a number of embarrassing questions. It was for this reason alone that the coalition did not work.”