BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Monday demanded to know whether the BJP’s “dependence” on NDA ally TDP was the reason for the state government’s “silence” on Andhra Pradesh issuing a notification for panchayat elections in three villages of Kotia in Koraput district.
Patnaik, who is also the leader of the opposition in the Odisha Assembly, sent a letter to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, expressing concern over Andhra Pradesh’s notification announcing polls in Phagunasineri, Ganjeipadar and Phatusineri villagers of Kotia gram panchayat. “What happened to the BJP’s assurances that Kotia belongs to Odisha? What actions have been taken to implement them? Patnaik posed and pointed out that as chief minister, he had fought all along to protect Odisha’s territorial integrity.
“What were the recommendations of the 16-member high-level Kotia Committee constituted in 2025? Also, before the 2024 elections, the BJP made a promise that a ‘double-engine’ government would resolve the Kotia issue once and for all, safeguarding Odisha’s territorial integrity, and restore Odia pride, Patnaik said in the letter to the chief minister.
In the face of the opposition’s charge of “double standards” and reneging on Odisha’s territorial integrity and pride, state minister Suresh Pujari said the BJP government was prepared to “thwart any provocative attempts” by TDP-ruled Andhra Pradesh. What makes this even more troubling is that the Telugu Desam Party, which governs Andhra Pradesh, is a crucial ally of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre,” the former chief minister said. He reminded the chief minister that BJP leaders in Odisha have repeatedly asserted that Kotia belongs to the state and they had raised the “Go Back Andhra” slogan. The Koraput district collector has been taking stock of the situation, and both officers have been asked to make sure Kotia doesn’t become a part of Andhra Pradesh’s election process, the minister said.
