BJD skipping all-party meet sends a Wrong Message

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha rejected three calls from Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra to attend an all-party meeting to discuss the Mahanadi Row. The BJD neither bothered to call an all-party meet on its own nor attended the one called by the Opposition. It was definitely not a good precedent.

If all political parties can join hands to come on a single platform and agree on the point that Odisha must protect its interests when it comes to the conflict with Chhattisgarh over the construction of barrages on Mahanadi River, BJD was expected to take the lead. the party rejected to meeting on flimsy ground that national parties can’t protect the state’s interest, as they are bound to go by their central leadership.

When parties like Congress, BJP, Left, Ama Odisha Party, TMC, Samata Kranti Dal and many others came together to vow to protect Odisha’s interest, the BJD was seen doing dharna politics to prove a point that it remained the lone custodian of people of Odisha and other parties did not have any locus standi to fight for the state’s right. Is it arrogance of power or political manoeuvre? Only time will say!