Contrary to earlier reports suggesting internal rift within the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) over the Waqf Bill in the Rajya Sabha, official records have confirmed that the party voted largely in unison in favour of the legislation.
The speculation began after it was alleged that three BJD MPs supported the Bill, three opposed it, and one abstained. However, the official voting record tells a different story: Five BJD MPs — Dr. Sasmit Patra, Manas Mangaraj, Sulata Deo, Subhasish Khuntia, and Niranjan Bishi — voted in support of the Bill. Only one MP, Munna Khan, voted against it.
Meanwhile, the reports that Debashish Samantaray abstained have been proven false. Records show that he was absent during the vote and did not participate in any form — invalidating claims of abstention.
The vote took place on April 4 and was surrounded by political controversy within Odisha, with critics and opposition leaders accusing the BJD of sending mixed signals.
However, this latest clarification dispels all claims of a split, confirming that the BJD’s stance on the Waqf Bill was, for the most part, cohesive and supportive, with just one dissenting vote.
