BJD voted unanimously in favour of the Waqf Bill in Rajya Sabha; claims of split stand proven false!

Contrary to earlier claims that Biju Janata Dal (BJD) members were divided during the voting on the Waqf Bill in the Rajya Sabha, official records have revealed that the party voted in unison in support of the Bill. Allegations suggesting a split—reportedly that three BJD members supported the Bill, three opposed it, and one abstained—have now been proven incorrect.

The Waqf Bill, when presented in the Rajya Sabha on April 4, drew widespread speculation regarding the BJD’s position. However, the official floor version of the debate and voting record clearly shows that five of the seven BJD MPs—Dr. Sasmit Patra, Manas Mangaraj, Sulata Deo, Subhasish Khuntia, and Niranjan Bishi—voted in favour of the Bill. Only one MP, Munna Khan, voted against it.

Earlier reports had claimed that MP Debashish Samantaray abstained from voting, but this has also turned out to be inaccurate. The official record confirms that Samantaray was not present in the House during the voting, thereby nullifying the notion of abstention.

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This clarification debunks the narrative of internal division within the BJD on the matter and confirms that the party, barring one dissenting voice, stood largely united in its support for the Bill.

Earlier, the bill controversy had snowballed into a political storm within the party, with several top leaders demanding accountability and transparency from the leadership.

"I have neither supported nor gone against the Waqf Bill. I had a different stance over the decision of the party. As the party had not given any whip, they couldn't be blamed. A decision was taken over the matter, and later it was changed. I have already given my opinion on it. There is no need to go into the controversy again. It has now become clear who voted in favour of the bill and who voted against it," said BJD’s Debashish Samantaray.