The Third Front has been formed in Orissa ahead of the Assembly elections. The constituents of the front are the CPI(M), CPI, Forward Bloc, Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal (United). The Front will contest at least 100 seats in the state with the CPI(M) setting up nominees in 15 seats, one of the notable candidates being Shivaji Patnaik from the Khurda constituency.

Meanwhile, the alliance between the BJP and the Navin Patnaik-led BJD seems to have gone under with open bickering after which the Delhi leadership fo the BJP has had to intervene in the formula making process which has not been accepted by all parties but which has been given the go-ahead only because the last date of filing nominations is January 31 with the elections slated for February 17. The bickerings have reached such a stage where the residence of BJD leader Navin Patnaik was attacked by irate supporters who said that Patnaik had sold out to the big brother BJP.