‘Odisha means Lord Jagannath & Biju Patnaik’: BJP says BJD nearing its end

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came down heavily on the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) after its MP, Ramesh Majhi said Odisha is identified by Lord Jagannath and Biju Patnaik.

The statement was made by BJD MP Ramesh Majhi at the establishment day ceremony observed by the Conch party in Bhubaneswar on Monday.

Coming down heavily on the MP, Opposition Chief Whip and BJP leader, Mohan Majhi said, “Everybody knows Odisha is known as the land of only Lord Jagannath. This is most unfortunate that the BJD equated a mere mortal (Biju Patnaik) with Lord Jagannath.”

“Lord Jagannath will never let the party go scot-free. Actually, the end of BJD is nearing in Odisha, that is why its leaders are commenting nonsense in the public,” Mohan Majhi added.

Earlier, in an apparent dig at the Opposition ahead of the 2024 Assembly polls and general election, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday had said his Biju Janata Dal has a single-point agenda of development of the state, which is "not in focus" of national parties.

The BJD has no vested interests apart from the progress of Odisha, Patnaik had asserted.

The BJD was founded on December 26, 1997, and named after its legendary leader Biju Patnaik, the father of Naveen Patnaik.

(Reported By Madhusudan Mishra & Soumyaranjan Sahu, OTV)