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Bhubaneswar: Despite the fact that the Centre has formed a Negotiation Committee to resolve the Mahanadi water sharing issue between Odisha and Chhattisgarh, to which the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has opposed, the regional party has decided to raise the issue in the Budget Session of Parliament beginning tomorrow.
Besides, the Naveen Patnaik-led party will also target the NDA government over a host of issues including Polavram project and Centre’s neglect towards Odisha in releasing social welfare funds. It was decided at BJD’s Parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday.
“We will raise the Mahanadi issue in the Parliament. Though the Centre has formed a Committee, it is benefitting the neighbouring Chhattisgarh government. We want the ongoing construction work in the upper catchment area of Mahanadi river be stopped immediately. Besides the Polavaram issue will also be raised. We will fight for the interest of Odisha and no compromise on this will be accepted,” BJD’s Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi said.
It is understood that since the panchayat poll is round the corner, the ruling party wants to harp on these issues to take political mileage. Development programmes in tribal and backward regions are also some of the thrust areas for the BJD as it tries to woo voters ahead of the panchayat polls beginning February 13.