Senior Congress leader and Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Vice President Santosh Singh Saluja launched a scathing attack on the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), calling it a “directionless party” with a “two-faced policy.”
Saluja accused the BJD of succumbing to pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after initially offering support for the statewide Odisha Bandh called by the INDIA alliance on October 8.
Taking a direct swipe at the regional party, Saluja claimed that BJD’s frequent shifts in stance highlight its habit of staying aligned with the BJP despite claiming independence.
“BJD is a directionless party. They have a habit of remaining aligned with the BJP. Yesterday, BJD MPs supported the INDIA alliance in Delhi. This morning, they announced they would support tomorrow’s (October 8) Odisha Bandh. Now, they are retracting their statement. BJP is exerting continuous pressure on them. Calls came from Delhi, and they got scared. BJD is pursuing a clear two-faced policy,” Saluja stated.
The controversy surrounds the INDIA alliance’s call for a statewide shutdown in Odisha on October 8. While BJD leaders and MPs were seen participating alongside INDIA bloc leaders during a protest rally in New Delhi, the party’s sudden reluctance to extend full ground support to the Bandh within Odisha has raised critical political questions.
Saluja directly linked this shift in political posture to influence and directions from central BJP leaders in Delhi, suggesting the BJD remains unable to break away from the ruling party at the Centre.
This sharp rebuke from the Congress party has heightened political tensions across the state. Political analysts note that BJD’s dual strategy—showing solidarity with opposition parties at the national level while maintaining distance from local protests—has left its political orientation open to criticism. With all eyes on the scheduled October 8 Bandh, the political temperature in Odisha continues to soar.
