BJD Supremo Naveen Patnaik Steps Up Attack On BJP, Seeks CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation

Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha chief minister and Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik on Thursday stepped up his criticism of the BJP-led government at the Centre, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and calling for withdrawal of the amended provisions of the MMDER Act.

Speaking to reporters outside the Odisha Legislative Assembly, Mr Patnaik said Mr Kumar should resign over what he described as differences of opinion among members of the Election Commission of India. “Since the other commissioners have taken objection to his style of functioning, Mr Gyanesh Kumar should resign,” he said.

Mr Patnaik also reiterated the BJD’s opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, urging the Union government to revisit the exercise. He said the BJD had opposed the process from the beginning and that “the time has come” for it to be stopped.

On the amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) framework, Mr Patnaik said the provisions had curtailed the state’s fiscal autonomy and demanded that the amendments be withdrawn.

The BJD chief’s latest statements mark a sharper political posture towards the BJP after years in which his party maintained what it described as an “equidistant” relationship with both the BJP and the Congress. The BJD and BJP had been allies in Odisha until 2009, when Mr Patnaik ended the alliance.

The BJD had subsequently maintained issue-based support for the BJP-led government on several constitutional and parliamentary matters, including elections for the offices of President and Vice-President and the election of Speakers and Deputy Speakers. The party’s position was generally characterised as one of maintaining distance from both the BJP and Congress.

That approach, however, has shown signs of change since the BJD’s defeat in the 2024 Odisha Assembly elections, when the BJP formed a government in the state for the first time on its own.

During the Rajya Sabha elections, Mr Patnaik backed an Independent candidate, Dr Dattaswar Hota, with support from the Congress, although the candidate did not secure the required numbers. The BJD chief had earlier also supported demands for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET controversy, aligning his position with opposition parties, including the Congress, on the issue.

Mr Patnaik’s demand for the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner also comes amid criticism of the Election Commission from opposition parties. The BJP and NDA, on the other hand, have faced allegations from their political opponents over the functioning of the poll panel, allegations the ruling alliance has rejected.

The former Odisha chief minister has indicated that he intends to lead the BJD until 2029. His latest interventions suggest that the party is increasingly prepared to take on the BJP directly in Odisha, where the two parties are now political rivals after their long alliance ended more than a decade ago.

Political observers have interpreted the shift as an attempt by the BJD to redefine its political positioning after the 2024 election setback.