BJD Says It Maintains Distance From BJP and Congress, Not Part of INDIA Bloc

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BJP accused BJD of seeking political support after joining an Opposition protest in New Delhi.
BJD said it participated as a responsible regional opposition party and maintained that it is not part of the INDIA bloc.
Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati urged Naveen Patnaik to formally join the Opposition alliance.

Bhubaneswar: The political rivalry between the BJP and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) intensified after the regional party participated in an Opposition protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and issues linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

The BJP alleged that the BJD’s political position had weakened and claimed that its participation alongside INDIA bloc parties showed a shift from its long-standing policy of maintaining equal distance from both the BJP and Congress.

BJP spokesperson Biranchi Narayan Tripathy accused the BJD of seeking political support to strengthen its position in Odisha.

“The BJD has become a parasitic creeper in Odisha politics,” Tripathy said, alleging that the party had at different times moved closer to groups opposed to the BJP.

He also claimed that there was evidence of the BJD’s parliamentary party leader attending meetings of the INDIA alliance.

BJD Rejects BJP’s Alliance Charge

The BJD rejected the BJP’s allegation and said its participation in the protest did not mean that it had joined the INDIA bloc.

BJD Rajya Sabha member Manas Mangaraj said the party took part in the protest as a responsible regional opposition party following the direction of its leader, Naveen Patnaik.

“Our primary demand is the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar,” Mangaraj said, while making it clear that the BJD was not part of the INDIA bloc.

He said the party participated in the protest in its capacity as an Opposition party and not as a member of the national alliance.

BJD Raises Concerns Over SIR and Voter Deletions

BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty later said the party joined the Opposition parties’ protest over what it described as arbitrary actions by the Chief Election Commissioner in connection with the SIR exercise.

Mohanty claimed that more than 13 crore voters had been deleted across the country and alleged that more than 27.50 lakh voters in Odisha had been disenfranchised in the name of SIR.

These figures and allegations were presented by the BJD as part of its criticism of the electoral revision exercise.

Mohanty also raised concerns over alleged deletion of voters belonging to a minority community in the Dhamnagar Assembly constituency. He claimed that the deletions took place without the knowledge of the Booth Level Officers concerned.

He further alleged that thousands of voters had been excluded from electoral rolls in Dhamnagar and said questions had also been raised by the voluntary retirement application submitted by the State Chief Electoral Officer.

BJD Says It Maintains Distance From BJP and Congress

Mohanty reiterated that the BJD continues to maintain equal distance from both the INDIA bloc and the NDA.

He said the party’s participation in the protest was aimed at raising concerns over democratic institutions and the integrity of the electoral process rather than joining a political alliance.

The BJD also cited what Mohanty described as a clarification from the Supreme Court regarding Form 6, saying the court had not directed the modification of the form as allegedly claimed by the Chief Election Commissioner.

Congress Calls on Naveen Patnaik to Join INDIA Bloc

The political exchange also drew a response from the Congress.

Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati welcomed Naveen Patnaik’s participation in the protest alongside INDIA bloc leaders in New Delhi and urged the former Odisha chief minister to formally join the Opposition alliance.