The Biju Janata Dal’s political committee today held a high-level meeting under the chairmanship of party president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik, taking stock of pressing issues facing Odisha and charting a clear course of action.
The closed-door discussions focused on the difficulties being faced by farmers in registering for kharif paddy procurement, the recently passed MMDR (Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation) Bill, the severe mismanagement in the state’s education sector, the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, preparations for the forthcoming panchayat elections, and organisational strengthening.
Members expressed deep concern over the hurdles confronting sharecroppers and small farmers during the registration process for selling their kharif paddy. The committee warned the state government against playing with the interests of farmers and demanded immediate corrective measures.
The newly enacted MMDR Bill drew sharp criticism. Committee members noted that the legislation, recently approved by Parliament, would inflict substantial financial losses on Odisha. In a firm resolution, the BJD decided to pursue legal avenues to protect the state’s interests and simultaneously take the battle to the streets. In a related move, Naveen Patnaik has written to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi demanding an all-party meeting and a special session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly to discuss the implications of the mining bill.
On the electoral front, with the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) nearing completion, Patnaik advised party workers to remain vigilant so that no eligible voter is deleted from the rolls. The meeting also placed strong emphasis on formulating a comprehensive strategy for the upcoming panchayat elections and on the rapid formation of committees at the block and panchayat levels.
The education sector came under particularly heavy fire. The committee observed that the government’s failure to supply revised textbooks to students has triggered widespread resentment across the state. BJD resolved to further intensify its ongoing agitation on this issue and hold the government accountable for the chaos affecting lakhs of schoolchildren.
The meeting underscored the party’s determination to remain the voice of Odisha’s farmers, students, and resource-rich regions.
With both legal and mass-mobilisation strategies now on the table, the Biju Janata Dal has signalled that it is prepared for a sustained confrontation with the ruling establishment on issues it considers critical to the state’s future.
Naveen Patnaik Sounds Alarm Over MMDR Bill, Urges CM Majhi to Defend Odisha’s Mineral Rights
