Naveen Accuses BJP Government of Tarnishing Odisha’s Image
BJD chief asks party workers to highlight alleged failures of ‘double-engine’ government
Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal president and Leader of the Opposition in the Odisha Legislative, Naveen Patnaik, on Friday launched a fresh attack on the BJP government in Odisha, accusing it of tarnishing the state’s image within just two-and-a-half years of coming to power.
Addressing the BJD’s Jana Sampark Padyatra in the Bhubaneswar North Assembly constituency, Mr Patnaik described the ruling dispensation as “incompetent” and claimed that Odisha had emerged as a model state during the BJD’s 24-year rule from 2000 to 2024.
“The Biju Janata Dal believes in service and development. During the BJD government’s tenure, Odisha emerged as a model state in the country in terms of development. But this double-engine government has already tarnished Odisha’s image,” Mr Patnaik alleged.
He urged party workers to take what he described as the failures of the BJP government to every household and create awareness among people about its policies and performance.
The padyatra, organised on the occasion of the birth anniversary of eminent freedom fighter Utkalamani Pandit Gopabandhu Das, is part of the BJD’s month-long public outreach campaign that began on October 2, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti. The programme is scheduled to continue until November 2.
At the beginning of the event, Mr Patnaik paid floral tributes to Gopabandhu Das and former chief minister Biju Patnaik.
Former minister Ashok Panda, MLAs Sushant Rout and Ananta Narayan Jena, Bhubaneswar mayor Sulochana Das and Manmath Routray also addressed the gathering. They criticised the state government over what they described as its anti-people policies. Local corporators were present at the programme.
The BJD has been using the public outreach campaign to mobilise its organisational network and take its criticism of the BJP government to the grassroots. The regional party has raised several issues against the ruling dispensation, including the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, electoral roll revision and alleged governance failures.
The latest attack by Mr Patnaik comes amid the BJD’s efforts to sharpen its political offensive against the BJP government led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The campaign also provides the regional party an opportunity to reconnect with voters after its defeat in the 2024 Assembly elections, which ended its 24-year tenure in power.
There was no comment from the ruling BJP till this report was filed.