News Analysis India

Tag: BJD

  • Naveen Patnaik: CM Majhi, DyCMs, Naveen Patnaik take oath as member of Odisha Assembly

    Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, deputy chief ministers – KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida – and BJD president Naveen Patnaik took oath as member of the 17th Odisha Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. Pro-tem Speaker Ranenda Pratap Swain administered the oath of office to the newly elected MLAs including the chief minister and Patnaik here on Tuesday.

    The oath-taking by newly elected members will continue till June 19. The election for the Speaker will be held on June 20.

    As per tradition, the chief minister and other newly-elected MLAs paid floral tribute at the Mahatma Gandhi statue on arriving at the Assembly. In the recently concluded Assembly elections, the BJP secured a majority by winning 78 Assembly seats followed by BJD (51), Congress (14), CPIM (1) and Independents (3). In the 147-member Odisha Assembly, as many as 82 are first-time MLAs.

    While Majhi is the leader of the House, BJD president and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik is expected to be unanimously elected as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP).

  • Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik Responds To PM Modi’s Health Concerns, Says ‘I’m Perfectly Fine’ |

    A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to form a panel to probe the “sudden” deterioration of Naveen Patnaik’s health, the Odisha Chief Minister on Thursday said that he is “perfectly fine”. Biju Janta Dal (BJD) supremo dismissed the “concerns” expressed by PM Modi and said that he has been actively campaigning in the State for the last month. The Prime Minister on Wednesday claimed a “conspiracy” behind Patnaik’s failing health. PM Modi also said that a full majority government would be formed at the Centre for the third time in a row after a five-decade gap.

    In an interview with news agency ANI aired on Thursday, Patnaik said that if the PM was so concerned about his health, he would have called him and inquired about his health instead of stating it loudly at a public meeting.

    “If the Prime Minister was so concerned about my health, even recently, he said that I’m a good friend of his; all he needed was to pick up the telephone and inquire about my health instead of stating it loudly at a public meeting three times yesterday. My health is perfectly fine. As you can see, I’ve been campaigning for the last month all over the state,” the Odisha CM said.

    #WATCH | On PM Modi’s statement ‘if BJP comes to power in Odisha, a special committee will be formed to investigate Naveen Babu’s deteriorating health’, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik says “All I have to say is that if PM Modi is so concerned about my health, all he needed was to pick… pic.twitter.com/OkmHdZ1Lrq
    — ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2024

    “And instead of the Prime Minister just picking up the telephone and asking me about my health, he has stated it loudly at a public meeting. This means that all he’s trying to do is garner votes during election time,” he said.

    Addressing a poll rally in Baripada for the Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha segment, which goes to vote on June 1, PM Modi said there is a “conspiracy” behind Naveen Patnaik’s sudden deterioration of health and that he would form a committee to look into the Chief Minister’s medical history.
     
    Patnaik claimed that rumours about his health have been spread by BJP leaders for the past decade, and that he has no health issues.
     
    “This rumour has been spread by BJP members in Delhi for the past ten years, with little effect on me. And that is basically all I have to say about it. I have no health problems at all. I am in excellent health. I repeat: I’ve been campaigning for the last month in a very hot season, and I’m fine,” the BJD leader said.
     
    When asked about a viral video showing visible tremors in Patanik’s hand during an election rally, the Odisha chief minister responded, “It’s not a medical condition at all. A visiting BJP chief minister exaggerated the situation for no apparent reason.

  • Odisha’s Political Puzzle: Who Will Lead BJD After Naveen Patnaik? |

    The Biju Janata Dal’s reliance on 77-year-old Naveen Patnaik in Odisha presents a significant opening for the BJP. Amidst the fervor of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections, BJP leaders have stirred a fresh political discourse, questioning Patnaik’s 24-year tenure, his age, health, activism, and potential successors.

    In Odisha, voting is underway for both the 147 assembly seats and 21 Lok Sabha seats simultaneously. Naveen Patnaik’s personal charisma stands as a major asset for BJD amidst the extensive elections spanning four phases between May 13 and June 1. His bid for a historic sixth term as Chief Minister looms large. However, the looming question remains: who will succeed Patnaik? By introducing this uncertainty, the BJP has injected a new dynamic into Odisha’s political landscape.

    VK Pandian’s Non-Oriya Background Poses A Significant Challenge For BJD’s Continuity

    In response to such uncertainties, citizens in markets like Kadligarh in Sambalpur district express support for Naveen Babu but are uncertain about his successor. When asked about his longtime associate VK Pandian, concerns arise due to his non-Oriya background. These responses underscore Odisha’s current political trajectory and future challenges. Both the ruling BJD, under Naveen Patnaik’s 24-year stewardship, and the opposition BJP must confront this reality.

    BJP Struggles to Present a Viable Alternative to Naveen Patnaik

    Meanwhile, the BJP, having entered the campaign arena late after failed alliance talks with BJD, struggles to identify a figure in Odisha who can credibly challenge Naveen Patnaik’s dominance. Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three visits to the state since the election announcement, the party has yet to showcase a clear leader or leadership group in Odisha.

    Patnaik Government’s Policies Mirror Modi Government’s Approach

    Similar to the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, Naveen Patnaik’s administration in Odisha has maintained a strong hold on the women’s vote bank through empowerment and welfare initiatives. Significant budget allocations have been directed towards healthcare, education, self-reliance, and justice. At the BJD’s silver jubilee celebrations in December 2022, Patnaik emphasized that the party’s longevity hinges on prioritizing women’s empowerment.

    BJD’s Commitment To Women’s Empowerment and Representation

    During the 16th Lok Sabha in 2014, BJD MPs rallied support from other political factions for the Women’s Reservation Bill. The party has continued this momentum by fielding 33 percent women candidates in both the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Patnaik’s personal appeal remains a potent political asset, bolstered by his anti-corruption stance.

    Naveen Patnaik’s Embrace Of Oriya Identity And Aspiration

    In response to BJP’s challenges, Naveen Patnaik has championed Odia aspirations and identity. Despite his accidental entry into politics, Patnaik, educated at Doon School and St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, acknowledges Odisha’s unique linguistic heritage as the first linguistically defined state. Unlike many regional leaders, Patnaik has refrained from expanding his party beyond state borders.

  • Arabinda Dhali: Odisha: Jayadev MLA Arabinda Dhali quits BJD, to join BJP

    Sitting MLA of Jayadev Assembly seat in Odisha, Arabinda Dhali resigned from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday, ahead of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha.

    Former state minister Dhali tendered his resignation to BJD Supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

    “I tender my resignation on the dated 01.03.2024 from the primary membership of Biju Janata Dal.You’re requested to kindly accept my resignation. This is for your information and necessary action,” he wrote in his resignation letter.Jayadev Assembly Seat is one of the 7 assembly segments of the Bhubaneswar Parliamentary Constituency.

    While speaking to ANI, Arabinda Dhali said on Saturday that,” I gave my resignation yesterday (01.03.2024) from the primary membership of Biju Janata Dal, sent my letter to honourable CM Naveen Patnaik, and decided to join the BJP. I was in the BJP earlier and now am returning to my home Party. I interact with several leaders of Odisha, including the state BJP president, all are given green signal to join the BJP party. I was inspired by the Honourable PM Modi’s work and Bharat is going to be Viswa Guru. The whole world is giving respect to Narendra Modi. I will dedicate the rest of my life to the BJP and work accordingly for the betterment of the people.”

    He said that he didn’t get the comfort of working in the BJD party, so he decided to join the BJP. He said that, along with him, two thousand workers would join the BJP.Arabinda Dhali is a five-term member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly and, his political career started with the BJP, and he represented Malkangiri in 1992, 1995 and 2000.Later, he joined BJD and successfully contested the Jayadev constituency in 2009 and 2019.

    He had also served as the Transport and Corporation Minister in the BJD-BJP alliance government (2000-2004).

    He left the BJP in April, 2006 with Rama Chandra Panda, a former Deputy Speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly, and joined the Bharatiya Janshakti Party of Uma Bharatee . Then, in 2008, he joined the Samajwadi Party and later jumped ship and joined Biju Janata Dal.

    Recently, Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi and former Odisha minister Debasis Nayak have also joined the BJP.

  • Modi dials Naveen, firms up BJD support in Parliament

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik enjoy a good political rapport, though the BJD differs from the BJP on many issues in the state. Amid persisting suspense over Biju Janata Dal’s (BJD) support to the Centre against the Opposition’s no-confidence motion, a call was reportedly made by Modi on Tuesday morning to the Odisha CM. That brought smiles back on BJP MPs’ faces. The BJD agreed to support the BJP-led NDA government against the no-trust motion, which would be tabled in the Lok Sabha possibly on August 8, a source in BJD said.

    A top source in BJP, speaking to this newspaper, confirmed the Modi-Naveen communication. “It changed the entire scenario. Patnaik has spoken to his party colleagues about issuing a three-line whip to support the government against the no-confidence motion as well as the Bill replacing the Delhi ordinance.“Both these leaders enjoy tremendous rapport with each other, which is above party politics. Both of them are development-oriented politicians. The BJD is now against the no-confidence motion and also supports the government on the Delhi ordinance,” said a senior BJD functionary.

    Sources said the Modi-Patnaik conversation lasted a few minutes. The BJD support came even though both these parties in Odisha are against each other on certain issues. The good news for the BJP came as disruptions over the Manipur issue continued to rock the Lok Sabha for the ninth consecutive day on Wednesday. Speaker Om Birla skipped the proceedings on Wednesday to express his displeasure over the conduct of the Opposition and treasury benches alike.

    YSRCP member Midhun Reddy and BJP member Kirit Solanki, who are on the panel of chairpersons, chaired the proceedings in Lok Sabha which saw vociferous protests over the situation in Manipur by Opposition members, who demanded a statement from the Prime Minister. Home Minister Amit Shah had offered to respond to the debate on the Manipur situation, but the Opposition insisted on a statement from the Prime Minister.

    While Reddy was in the chair during the question hour, when Lok Sabha convened for the day at 11 am, Solanki presided over the post-lunch session at 2 pm. On both occasions, Opposition and BJP members were seen raising slogans and the House proceedings were adjourned within minutes of convening.

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik enjoy a good political rapport, though the BJD differs from the BJP on many issues in the state. Amid persisting suspense over Biju Janata Dal’s (BJD) support to the Centre against the Opposition’s no-confidence motion, a call was reportedly made by Modi on Tuesday morning to the Odisha CM. That brought smiles back on BJP MPs’ faces. The BJD agreed to support the BJP-led NDA government against the no-trust motion, which would be tabled in the Lok Sabha possibly on August 8, a source in BJD said.

    A top source in BJP, speaking to this newspaper, confirmed the Modi-Naveen communication. “It changed the entire scenario. Patnaik has spoken to his party colleagues about issuing a three-line whip to support the government against the no-confidence motion as well as the Bill replacing the Delhi ordinance.“Both these leaders enjoy tremendous rapport with each other, which is above party politics. Both of them are development-oriented politicians. The BJD is now against the no-confidence motion and also supports the government on the Delhi ordinance,” said a senior BJD functionary.

    Sources said the Modi-Patnaik conversation lasted a few minutes. The BJD support came even though both these parties in Odisha are against each other on certain issues. The good news for the BJP came as disruptions over the Manipur issue continued to rock the Lok Sabha for the ninth consecutive day on Wednesday. Speaker Om Birla skipped the proceedings on Wednesday to express his displeasure over the conduct of the Opposition and treasury benches alike.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    YSRCP member Midhun Reddy and BJP member Kirit Solanki, who are on the panel of chairpersons, chaired the proceedings in Lok Sabha which saw vociferous protests over the situation in Manipur by Opposition members, who demanded a statement from the Prime Minister. Home Minister Amit Shah had offered to respond to the debate on the Manipur situation, but the Opposition insisted on a statement from the Prime Minister.

    While Reddy was in the chair during the question hour, when Lok Sabha convened for the day at 11 am, Solanki presided over the post-lunch session at 2 pm. On both occasions, Opposition and BJP members were seen raising slogans and the House proceedings were adjourned within minutes of convening.

  • Fail to understand what merit BJD, YSRCP have found in Delhi services bill: Chidambaram

    The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday extended its support to the bill replacing the Delhi services ordinance in a boost to the treasury benches. NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Tuesday took a swipe at the BJD and the YSRCP for pledging support for the bill to replace the Delhi services ordinance and said he fails to understand what merit they have found in the legislation.

    The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday extended its support to the bill replacing the Delhi services ordinance in a boost to the treasury benches, especially in Rajya Sabha, and also backed the government against the no-confidence motion brought by opposition parties.

    Last week, Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) functionaries had said that the party will vote in favour of the government in Rajya Sabha when it takes up the bill to replace the Delhi Services ordinance next week.

    In a tweet, Chidambaram said, “I can understand BJP MPs supporting the Delhi Services Authority Bill, but I fail to understand what merit in the bill was found by the BJD and YSRCP parties.”

    The Union government on Tuesday tabled the contentious bill in Lok Sabha to replace the Delhi services ordinance amid vociferous protests by opposition member.

    The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which gives the Delhi Lieutenant Governor a final say on the transfer and posting of officials of the city government, will strengthen the Central government’s control over the national capital.

    “Have the two parties (ruling parties in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh) found merit in the three-member authority where the (Delhi) chief minister will be just one against two officers appointed by the central government?” the former home minister said.

    Have they found merit in the provision where the two officers can constitute the quorum and hold a meeting and take decisions without the participation of the chief minister, he asked.

    “Have they found merit in the provision where the two officers can overrule the chief minister? Have they found merit in the provision where the LG can overrule even a unanimous decision of the authority?” Chidambaram said on Twitter.

    He asked have the two parties found merit in the provision that empowers the central government to define the “powers and duties” of the officers working in the Delhi government to the exclusion of the ministers of the Delhi government.

    The Congress leader tweeted, “Have the two parties realised that if the bill were passed, the officers will be the masters and the ministers will be the subordinates?”

    The BJD became the second party besides the YSR Congress, among those not formally aligned with either the ruling BJP or the opposition, to announce support to the Centre on the Delhi services bill, dealing a blow to the opposition’s efforts to cobble together a majority in Rajya Sabha where the treasury benches lack a majority on their own.

  • Odisha bypoll: BJP alleges govt employees working for ruling party

    By PTI

    BHUBANESWAR: A BJP delegation led by its general secretary Lekhashree Samantasinghar, in a petition to Odisha’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), has alleged that the BJD used government officials to campaign for the ruling party candidate in the Dhamnagar Assembly bypoll.

    The BJD, in its petition to the CEO, claimed that BJP leaders were threatening its workers as they feared defeat in the elections.

    The party urged the CEO to step up surveillance and ensure free and fair elections in the assembly constituency.

    The saffron party claimed it has submitted videos and photos of government officers campaigning for the BJD at two places in the Dhamnagar Assembly constituency, including a woman government official.

    “A number of officers are campaigning for the BJD candidate even though they are drawing salaries from the government exchequer,” Samantasinghar alleged.

    She also said two government officials were identified putting BJD shawls on their shoulders while campaigning.

    “We demand stern action against the errant officials.” With barely a day left for campaigning for the November 3 bypoll in Odisha’s Dhamnagar Assembly segment, both the ruling BJD and BJP have intensified their attempts to woo voters.

    The Dhamnagar assembly constituency has been witnessing high- voltage campaigning by leaders of the BJD, Congress, BJP and Independent candidates.

    A number of Odisha ministers and MLAs were engaged in campaigning for BJD candidate Abanti Das, while the party’s rebel leader and Independent candidate Rajendra Das was sighted canvassing from door to door.

    Two union ministers, Dharmendra Pradhan and Bisheswar Tudu, campaigned for BJP candidate Suryabanshi Suraj for the second consecutive day on Saturday.

    OPCC president Sarat Pattnayak and other senior Congress leaders could also be seen campaigning for party candidate Baba Harekrushna Sethi.

    “The people will bless Congress which had set up over a dozen of hospitals in Dhamnagar during its rule before the BJD government,” said Pattnayak.

    BHUBANESWAR: A BJP delegation led by its general secretary Lekhashree Samantasinghar, in a petition to Odisha’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), has alleged that the BJD used government officials to campaign for the ruling party candidate in the Dhamnagar Assembly bypoll.

    The BJD, in its petition to the CEO, claimed that BJP leaders were threatening its workers as they feared defeat in the elections.

    The party urged the CEO to step up surveillance and ensure free and fair elections in the assembly constituency.

    The saffron party claimed it has submitted videos and photos of government officers campaigning for the BJD at two places in the Dhamnagar Assembly constituency, including a woman government official.

    “A number of officers are campaigning for the BJD candidate even though they are drawing salaries from the government exchequer,” Samantasinghar alleged.

    She also said two government officials were identified putting BJD shawls on their shoulders while campaigning.

    “We demand stern action against the errant officials.” With barely a day left for campaigning for the November 3 bypoll in Odisha’s Dhamnagar Assembly segment, both the ruling BJD and BJP have intensified their attempts to woo voters.

    The Dhamnagar assembly constituency has been witnessing high- voltage campaigning by leaders of the BJD, Congress, BJP and Independent candidates.

    A number of Odisha ministers and MLAs were engaged in campaigning for BJD candidate Abanti Das, while the party’s rebel leader and Independent candidate Rajendra Das was sighted canvassing from door to door.

    Two union ministers, Dharmendra Pradhan and Bisheswar Tudu, campaigned for BJP candidate Suryabanshi Suraj for the second consecutive day on Saturday.

    OPCC president Sarat Pattnayak and other senior Congress leaders could also be seen campaigning for party candidate Baba Harekrushna Sethi.

    “The people will bless Congress which had set up over a dozen of hospitals in Dhamnagar during its rule before the BJD government,” said Pattnayak.