Naveen Patnaik convened a meeting with the party’s nine Rajya Sabha MPs, urging them to establish themselves as a “vibrant and strong” opposition.
· Sasmit Patra stated that the MPs are resolved to not only articulate their concerns but also to take a firm stance if Odisha’s interests are overlooked by the central government.
· One of the primary issues the BJD intends to spotlight is the long-standing demand for special status for Odisha.
· Patra highlighted that Odisha’s request for a revision of coal royalties has been neglected by the Centre for a decade.
· Patnaik’s instructions were clear: the nine Rajya Sabha MPs should act as a formidable opposition force, advocating for the rights and interests of Odisha’s citizens within the legislative framework.
· The BJD’s new stance comes after a challenging political period for the party, which saw it lose its hold on power in the state after 24 years and fail to secure any seats in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
In a strategic move to reassert his party’s influence, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik convened a meeting with the party’s nine Rajya Sabha MPs on Monday, urging them to establish themselves as a “vibrant and strong” opposition in the upcoming parliamentary session starting June 27. The directive comes as the BJD seeks to amplify its voice against the BJP-led central government and safeguard Odisha’s interests in the Upper House of Parliament.
During the meeting, Patnaik emphasized the need for BJD lawmakers to actively champion the state’s issues. Sasmit Patra, the BJD leader in Rajya Sabha, stated that the MPs are resolved to not only articulate their concerns but also to take a firm stance if Odisha’s interests are overlooked by the central government. “The BJD MPs this time will not be confined to speaking on issues only, but are determined to agitate if the BJP-led government at the Centre ignores Odisha’s interest,” Patra told reporters.
One of the primary issues the BJD intends to spotlight is the long-standing demand for special status for Odisha. The party also plans to address critical concerns such as inadequate mobile connectivity and the sparse distribution of bank branches across the state. Patra highlighted that Odisha’s request for a revision of coal royalties has been neglected by the Centre for a decade, causing significant financial losses to the state and depriving its people of their rightful revenue share.
Patnaik’s instructions were clear: the nine Rajya Sabha MPs should act as a formidable opposition force, advocating for the rights and interests of Odisha’s citizens within the legislative framework. This marks a departure from the BJD’s previous approach of offering issue-based support to the BJP-led government. Patra asserted that the BJD will no longer support the BJP and is prepared to take any necessary measures to protect Odisha’s interests. “There is no question of supporting the BJP. The BJD president asked us to act as a strong and vibrant opposition if the NDA government continues to ignore the genuine demands of Odisha,” Patra declared.
The BJD’s new stance comes after a challenging political period for the party, which saw it lose its hold on power in the state after 24 years and fail to secure any seats in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Despite historically supporting the BJP on various issues and facilitating the election of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to Rajya Sabha in 2019 and 2024, the BJD is now pivoting towards a more oppositional role.
At a separate meeting with senior BJD leaders, Patnaik underscored the importance of unity and hard work in light of the BJP’s narrow majority in the Odisha assembly and its lack of a clear majority at the Centre. “You all know that the BJP has got four seats more than the majority mark in the Odisha assembly. At the Centre also, it does not have a majority on its own. Hence, you should work hard, stay united, and strengthen the party,” Patnaik urged.
This decisive shift by the BJD signifies a strategic recalibration, positioning the party as a staunch defender of Odisha’s interests and a robust opposition force in the national political landscape.
(With inputs from agencies)
