No-trust motion fear looms large in BJD camp!

With several BJD leaders joining and leaning towards the BJP and the fear of a no-confidence motion hovering over the BJD camp, the conch party is reportedly pulling out all stops to save the party. 

After the poll debacle, the BJD used the no-confidence motion against the chairperson of Phulbani Municipality and succeeded in its plan. It then set eyes on the Junagarh Municipality but its strategy didn’t work there due to a legal battle. 

Meanwhile, the BJD seems to be afraid of the BJP paying it back in the same coin. The party is having meetings after meetings to keep its municipality/NAC representatives united. In Keonjhar, as the representatives of panchayat have already joined the BJP, chances are high that the municipality representatives may also upset the apple cart by joining the saffron camp. It is being discussed that the BJP is preparing to bring no-confidence motions in Khandapara and Nilagiri. 

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“We are forced to bring a no-confidence motion because no developmental work has been taken up in Nilagiri NAC in the last two years,” said Mahendra Behera, vice chairman of Nilagiri NAC. 

Expressing her concern, the councillor of ward no-11 of Khandapara municipality, Monali Priyadarshini said, “It is not against any party but against injustice. Smt Arati Pradhan was elected as an independent candidate. The residents of Khandapara are now fed up with her and her husband’s behaviour.” 

Seeing the panchayat and municipality representatives leaning towards the BJP, the BJD is making all efforts to stop them from switching over to the BJP. 

However, BJD said Naveen had met municipality representatives to strengthen the party’s organisation. 

“Naveen Babu has advised them to work better. No-confidence motions are coming from different places and this is a regular process,” said senior BJD leader Devi Prasad Mishra. 

According to political analyst Prasanna Mohanty, “The BJD has no weapon left with it but the local bodies it has occupied. But it is in fear because its grassroots leaders are getting attracted to the ruling party. This is why the party has started exercises to keep its leaders united.”

Notably, there are 106 NACs and municipalities in the state. The numbers of BJD, BJP, Congress and independent chairpersons are 74, 16, seven and nine respectively.