Two of Odisha’s Deputy Chief Ministers launched a sharp political counterattack on Wednesday against former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, accusing him of remaining silent on the long-standing Kotia territorial dispute for nearly 25 years and only raising the issue now that the current government is actively defending the state’s claims.
Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, in a pointed social media post responding to Patnaik’s letter to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, wrote that leadership is measured not by letters written “after the battle has begun,” but by the courage shown when a challenge first emerges. He noted that Patnaik, who governed Odisha for 24 years — including nine years as part of the NDA — had every opportunity to assert the state’s position on Kotia but chose silence instead.
“Today, when the government led by Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi is actively defending Odisha’s legitimate territorial interests, sudden expressions of concern appear less like statesmanship and more like political rediscovery,” Singh Deo stated. He added that Odisha’s borders “require unwavering commitment, consistent action, and the courage to act when it matters most,” and that the people would ultimately judge “who stood firm for Odisha.”
I have always believed that leadership is measured not by the letters one writes after the battle has begun, but by the courage one demonstrates when the challenge first emerges.
For nearly two and a half decades, including nine years alongside the NDA, Shri Naveen Patnaik had every opportunity to assert Odisha’s position on Kotia. The silence then was deafening.
Today, when the government led by Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi is actively defending Odisha’s legitimate territorial interests, sudden expressions of concern appear less like statesmanship and more like political rediscovery.
Odisha’s borders are not subjects for periodic remembrance. They require unwavering commitment, consistent action, and the courage to act when it matters most.
The people will judge not who spoke the loudest, but who stood firm for Odisha.
#OdishaFirst #Kotia #Accountability #MohanMajhiGovernment #KanakVardhanSinghDeo
— Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo (Modiji Ka Parivar) (@KVSinghDeo1) November 4, 2026
Fellow Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida echoed the criticism in a direct reply to Patnaik, questioning why the former CM had remained a “silent spectator” during his long tenure and was only now writing letters and lecturing the BJP on its 2024 manifesto promises. She highlighted that under the present administration, the Koraput district administration is “standing firm and fighting to protect Odisha’s territorial integrity.”
.@Naveen_Odisha Babu,
You ruled Odisha for 24 years, including 9 years as an NDA ally. When it came to protecting Odisha’s territorial interests in Kotia, you chose silence. Now, after years of inaction, have you suddenly discovered the courage to write letters, or has someone finally explained the issue to you?Today, under the decisive leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister @MohanMOdisha , the Koraput administration is standing firm and fighting to protect Odisha’s territorial integrity.
You were a silent spectator when it mattered most. Now you want to lecture the BJP on its 2024 manifesto? Naveen Babu, the people of Odisha deserve answers for your years of silence, not political theatrics.
— Pravati Parida (@PravatiPOdisha) November 4, 2026
The exchanges come amid heightened tensions in the Kotia region of Koraput district. Andhra Pradesh has notified local body elections (MPTC and ZPTC) in parts of the disputed cluster of villages, prompting Odisha to file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court, citing the 2006 status quo order. Police personnel from both states recently faced off near the border, leading the Koraput administration to impose prohibitory orders and deploy additional forces.
The Kotia group of villages has been a point of contention between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh since the mid-1950s, with both states claiming administrative rights over roughly 21 of the 28 villages under the Kotia gram panchayat. Residents often hold dual voter identity cards. While opposition parties, including the BJD, have urged stronger central intervention, the ruling BJP has accused predecessors of inaction and pointed to current legal, administrative, and security measures as evidence of a more assertive approach.
Political observers note that the dispute places both the BJP (which governs Odisha) and the TDP-led government in Andhra Pradesh — both part of the broader NDA — in a delicate position.
With local polls scheduled for November 5, security remains tight in the border villages as officials from both sides continue discussions to de-escalate the situation.
