Bhubaneswar president Naveen Patnaik held a meeting with his party's nine Rajya Sabha MPs on Monday and asked them to emerge as a "vibrant and strong" opposition in the Upper House of Parliament during its next session beginning on 27 of June.
In the meeting, Patnaik also asked the legislators to raise issues pertaining to the interests of the State in an appropriate manner.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the party's Rajya Sabha leader Sasmit Patra said, "This time the BJD MPs will not limit themselves to just talking about issues but are determined to agitate if the government led by the BJP at the Center ignores Odisha’s interests.”
Besides raising the demand for special status for Odisha, the BJD MPs will raise the issues of poor mobile connectivity and low density of bank branches in the state, he said.
"Odisha's demand for revising coal royalties has been ignored by the Center for the last 10 years. This is causing huge losses to the people of the state who are being deprived of their due share," he added.
Maintaining that the nine Rajya Sabha MPs will act as a strong opposition, Patra said Patnaik has given clear instructions to fight for the rights of the people of the state in Parliament.
When asked if the BjD would maintain its earlier stance of giving support to the BJP-led government, he said, "No more support to the BJP, only opposition. We can do everything possible to protect the interests of Odisha."
Later, Patra said, "This is not about supporting the BJP. The BJD president asked us to act as a strong and vibrant opposition if the NDA government continues to ignore the genuine demands of Odisha."
The BJD has nine MPs in Rajya Sabha, while it failed to win any seats in the recently held Lok Sabha elections, for the first time since its formation in 1997.
The BJD also lost power in the state and the BJP ended its 24-year rule.
The BJD not only supported the BJP in Parliament on different issues over the last few years but also helped Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw get elected to Rajya Sabha in 2019 and 2024.
In a meeting with senior BJD leaders on Sunday, Patnaik had said, "You all know that the BJP has four seats more than the majority in the Odisha assembly. At the Center too it does not have a majority on its own. Therefore, you must work hard, stay united and strengthen the party."
In the meeting, Patnaik also asked the legislators to raise issues pertaining to the interests of the State in an appropriate manner.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the party's Rajya Sabha leader Sasmit Patra said, "This time the BJD MPs will not limit themselves to just talking about issues but are determined to agitate if the government led by the BJP at the Center ignores Odisha’s interests.”
Besides raising the demand for special status for Odisha, the BJD MPs will raise the issues of poor mobile connectivity and low density of bank branches in the state, he said.
"Odisha's demand for revising coal royalties has been ignored by the Center for the last 10 years. This is causing huge losses to the people of the state who are being deprived of their due share," he added.
Maintaining that the nine Rajya Sabha MPs will act as a strong opposition, Patra said Patnaik has given clear instructions to fight for the rights of the people of the state in Parliament.
When asked if the BjD would maintain its earlier stance of giving support to the BJP-led government, he said, "No more support to the BJP, only opposition. We can do everything possible to protect the interests of Odisha."
Later, Patra said, "This is not about supporting the BJP. The BJD president asked us to act as a strong and vibrant opposition if the NDA government continues to ignore the genuine demands of Odisha."
The BJD has nine MPs in Rajya Sabha, while it failed to win any seats in the recently held Lok Sabha elections, for the first time since its formation in 1997.
The BJD also lost power in the state and the BJP ended its 24-year rule.
The BJD not only supported the BJP in Parliament on different issues over the last few years but also helped Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw get elected to Rajya Sabha in 2019 and 2024.
In a meeting with senior BJD leaders on Sunday, Patnaik had said, "You all know that the BJP has four seats more than the majority in the Odisha assembly. At the Center too it does not have a majority on its own. Therefore, you must work hard, stay united and strengthen the party."
