Political tension has escalated in Odisha as the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) launched a scathing attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing its leadership of deploying police and anti-social elements to forcefully capture students’ union elections in the Ganjam district.
Addressing a press conference at Sankha Bhawan on Saturday, BJD General Secretary and former Minister Srikant Sahu, alongside spokesperson Tumbanath Panda, alleged that Minister Gokulananda Mallik is abusing administrative machinery to intimidate candidates and compel them to withdraw their nominations.
According to the BJD leaders, the unrest is heavily concentrated in Polasara, Buguda, and Balipada. Sahu claimed that after the announcement of the student election schedule, the ruling party realised that the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal held an unassailable lead and the strongest prospects of winning the polls in these institutions. Fearing defeat, the Minister allegedly mobilised local administration and goons to terrorise candidates and their families into stepping down. The party further asserted that despite lodging formal complaints regarding acts of violence, local law enforcement has deliberately turned a blind eye.
Shifting focus to broader political commentary, Tumbanath Panda heavily criticised Minister Mallik for targeting former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The BJD maintained that the ruling dispensation is attempting to shift public attention away from its own administrative failures.
“While Naveen Babu established Odisha as a model state at the global level and earned widespread appreciation, the two-and-a-half-year BJP government has brought disrepute to the state across every sphere due to sheer misgovernance,” Shri Panda stated. The opposition leaders concluded that BJP ministers are engaged in a race to stay relevant by attacking Naveen Patnaik, warning that the resilient people of Odisha are closely watching and will deliver a fitting response at an appropriate time.
