The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Leader of Opposition, Naveen Patnaik, met the injured Shergad block president, Krushna Chandra Nayak, who was allegedly attacked by BJP “goons.”
Patnaik expressed shock and outrage, stating that if such incidents occur in his own constituency, the situation across the state must be far worse. He accused the BJP of focusing on “horse-trading” for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls instead of addressing pressing issues, such as rescuing lakhs of Odias reportedly trapped in war zones abroad.
Patnaik urged the state government to take immediate steps for their evacuation and criticised the deteriorating law and order situation under the current regime.
In a related development, the BJD has issued a strict three-line whip to its MLAs ahead of the crucial Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for March 16, 2026, in Odisha.
This move comes amid heightened political tensions, with the opposition BJD aiming to secure its seats through tight discipline amid allegations of horse-trading by the ruling BJP.
The Rajya Sabha polls in Odisha involve four seats, with five candidates in the fray after no withdrawals. The BJP is positioned to win at least two comfortably, while the BJD (with around 48 MLAs) is expected to secure one, and a joint BJD-Congress-backed “common candidate” is contesting for the fourth amid claims of potential cross-voting and intense lobbying.
