Sambalpur MP and senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan has made a fresh appeal for political parties in Odisha to rise above party lines and work together to resolve the long-running border dispute over the Kotia region with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
In a post on X, Pradhan stressed that Kotia is central to Odisha’s identity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. He described the decades-old dispute as a matter of serious concern for the Odia people and said a collective solution is needed in the state’s interest, irrespective of political affiliations.
ଓଡ଼ିଶା ଏବଂ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଜାତି ପାଇଁ କୋଟିଆ କେତେ ଗୁରୁତ୍ୱପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ, ତାହା ଆମେ ସମସ୍ତେ ଜାଣିଛନ୍ତି । କୋଟିଆ ହେଉଛି ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଅସ୍ମିତା, ସାର୍ବଭୌମତ୍ୱ ଓ ଅଖଣ୍ଡତାର ପରିଚୟ । ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଭାବେ କୋଟିଆକୁ ନେଇ ଦୀର୍ଘ ସମୟ ଧରି ଦେଖାଯାଇଥିବା ସୀମା ବିବାଦ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଭାବେ ଚିନ୍ତାଜନକ । ଦଳ ମତ ନିର୍ବିଶେଷରେ ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ସ୍ୱାର୍ଥ ପାଇଁ ଏକାଠି ହୋଇ ମିଳିତ ଭାବେ ସମାଧାନ କରିବାର ଆବଶ୍ୟକତା ରହିଛି ।
ମୁଁ ଏପ୍ରିଲ ୨୦୧୮, ଫେବୃୟାରୀ ୨୦୧୯, ଏପ୍ରିଲ ୨୦୨୩ରେ କୋଟିଆ ଗ୍ରାମକୁ ଗସ୍ତ କରିଥିଲି । ଏହି ଅଞ୍ଚଳରେ ଆନ୍ଧ୍ରପ୍ରଦେଶର ହସ୍ତକ୍ଷେପ ତଥା ସୀମା ବିବାଦକୁ ନେଇ ଲାଗି ରହିଥିବା ସମସ୍ୟାର ସମାଧାନ ପାଇଁ ନଭେମ୍ବର ୧୮, ୨୦୨୦ ଓ ଅକ୍ଟୋବର ୩୧, ୨୦୨୨ରେ ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ତତ୍କାଳୀନ ମୁଖ୍ୟମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ତଥା ବିରୋଧୀ ଦଳ ନେତା @Naveen_Odisha ଏବଂ ସେପ୍ଟେମ୍ବର ୨୨,୨୦୨୧ରେ ଆନ୍ଧ୍ରପ୍ରଦେଶର ତତ୍କାଳୀନ ମୁଖ୍ୟମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଜଗନ ମୋହନ ରେଡ୍ଡୀଙ୍କୁ ପତ୍ର ଲେଖି ଅନୁରୋଧ କରିଥିଲି ।
ଏହି ଅଞ୍ଚଳର ସମସ୍ୟାର ସମାଧାନ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ରାଜନୈତିକ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିବିଶେଷଙ୍କ ଦାୟିତ୍ୱ ଗୁରୁତ୍ୱପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ । କଥାବାର୍ତ୍ତା ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ଆମକୁ ଏକ ସୌହାର୍ଦ୍ଦ୍ୟପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ବାତାବରଣ ତିଆରି କରି ସମାଧାନର ବାଟ କାଢ଼ିବା ଆବଶ୍ୟକ ।
ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଭୌଗୋଳିକ ସୀମାକୁ ସୁରକ୍ଷିତ ରଖିବା ପାଇଁ ଉତ୍କଳ ଗୌରବ ମଧୁସୂଦନ ଦାସ, ଉତ୍କଳମଣି ଗୋପବନ୍ଧୁ ଦାସ, ବ୍ୟାସକବି ଫକୀରମୋହନ ସେନାପତି, ସ୍ୱଭାବକବି ଗଙ୍ଗାଧର ମେହେର, ପାରଳା ମହାରାଜା କୃଷ୍ଣଚନ୍ଦ୍ର ଗଜପତି ନାରାୟଣ ଦେବଙ୍କ ତ୍ୟାଗ ଓ ବଳିଦାନ ବ୍ୟର୍ଥ ଯିବ ନାହିଁ । ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଅସ୍ମିତା ପାଇଁ ଆମର ଲଢ଼େଇ ଜାରି ରହିବ । ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଏକତା ଓ ଅଖଣ୍ଡତାକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରିବା ଆମ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କର ସାମୂହିକ ଦାୟିତ୍ୱ ।
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) October 21, 2026
Pradhan recalled his personal engagement with the issue, noting that he visited Kotia village in April 2018, February 2019, and April 2023. He also disclosed that he had written letters to then Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on November 18, 2020, and October 31, 2022, and to then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on September 22, 2021, seeking a resolution through dialogue.
His statement comes at a time when the dispute has resurfaced politically. Andhra Pradesh recently issued a notification for panchayat elections in three villages of the disputed Kotia gram panchayat in Odisha’s Koraput district. This move has triggered sharp exchanges between the ruling BJP and the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha. Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has questioned the state government’s response, while Odisha Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari has said the government is prepared to protect its claim over the area.
The Kotia dispute involves competing claims by Odisha and Andhra Pradesh over 21 of the 28 villages in Kotia gram panchayat. The matter has been pending before the Supreme Court for decades, with the court earlier directing both states to maintain the status quo. Odisha filed a fresh suit in the apex court in January 2022, which remains under consideration.
In his post, Pradhan emphasised that political leaders have a responsibility to create a cordial atmosphere for talks and find a lasting solution. He invoked the sacrifices of historical Odia figures who fought to protect the state’s geographical boundaries and identity, stating that the struggle for Odia asmita continues and that safeguarding Odisha’s unity is a collective duty.
The appeal has drawn mixed reactions, with some opposition voices questioning the BJP-led government’s approach given the NDA’s alliance with Andhra Pradesh’s ruling Telugu Desam Party at the Centre. The episode underscores how the unresolved inter-state boundary issue continues to influence regional politics even as legal proceedings remain underway.
