Bhubaneswar: Barely weeks after backing a joint Rajya Sabha nominee, opposition BJD and Congress on Monday signalled they may be ready to bury their long history of hostilities and explore the possibility of a broader political understanding in Odisha, ahead of next year’s local body polls.Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das said a coalition could be possible if the party high command approves such a move. Senior BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra, meanwhile, said party chief Naveen Patnaik would take an appropriate call keeping the state’s interests in mind.Das said the Congress is currently focused on strengthening the party at the panchayat level but did not rule out an electoral tie-up. “If the understanding that began with the Rajya Sabha election is taken forward and our top leaders — (Congress president Mallikarjun) Kharge ji and Rahul (Gandhi) ji — agree, and if the AICC high command and Naveen babu want it, there is a possibility,” Das said.Mishra said new political formation is always possible in a dynamic situation. “If the OPCC president has made such a statement, he must have examined certain aspects. The BJD has always placed Odisha’s interest at the forefront. On various issues, we have come together with different political forces if it serves the state’s interest,” Mishra said.The final decision, he added, would be taken by party supremo Naveen in consultation with senior leaders and the political affairs committee.The signals come ahead of panchayat and urban local body elections, due early next year. The State Election Commission has already begun preparatory exercises such as voter verification and reservation of seats, typically undertaken well ahead of polls, indicating a 2027 election timeline.In the recent Rajya Sabha election, the BJD and Congress had jointly backed independent candidate Datteswar Hota. Despite having the requisite numerical strength, he lost the election amid cross-voting by legislators from both parties.Naveen, who had led a coalition govt with the BJP for two terms from 2000 to 2009, had maintained a stance of being equidistant from NDA and UPA after that. But post the 2024 electoral defeat, he has often been critical of the BJP on various issues.