Just a day after instructing his party MLAs to adopt an aggressive stance in the Odisha budget session, opposition leader and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik led by example on the first day itself. Actively participating in the assembly proceedings, he sharply criticised the government over the Governor’s address, signalling a return to his old form of dynamism that has sparked discussions in political circles.
Patnaik arrived at the assembly well before the session began on Tuesday. He attentively listened to the Governor’s speech for an extended period, frequently consulting with opposition deputy leader Prasanna Acharya seated nearby. He even called over former opposition deputy chief whip Pratap Deb—before the walkout—for a brief discussion. Following this, Patnaik rose from his seat and gestured to his fellow BJD MLAs to join him in staging a walkout from the house.
After the walkout, he spent some time in the lobby discussing with his party legislators before holding a prolonged meeting with them in his chamber at the assembly. Later, when Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi presented a condolence motion, Patnaik returned to the house to pay tributes to the departed souls. Subsequently, as government chief whip Saroj Pradhan moved a motion of thanks on the Governor’s address and began speaking in its favour, Patnaik once again led his party members in another walkout.
Notably, during the last winter session, BJP MLAs had raised questions about Patnaik’s absence from the house, which had fueled significant political chatter.
Governor’s Speech: Heavy on Words, Light on Action – Naveen
The Governor’s address in the assembly was verbose but lacking in substance, with the law and order situation in the state deteriorating to alarming levels, said opposition leader and BJD president Naveen Patnaik.
Reacting to the Governor’s speech during the session, Patnaik told the media that what is happening in Odisha is unprecedented in any other state in the country. “The law and order situation is worsening, and incidents of violence are on the rise. This is a matter of grave concern,” he stated.
Outside the assembly, responding to media queries on various mob lynching incidents across different regions of the state, Patnaik remarked, “Under this government, the law and order situation is in a dire state. Nowhere else in India are we seeing such breakdowns in law enforcement and violence as we are witnessing in Odisha.”
