In a sharp escalation of political tensions following the Rajya Sabha elections, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday launched a scathing counter-attack against BJD president Naveen Patnaik. Majhi characterised Patnaik’s recent remarks regarding cross-voting as an “affront to democracy,” defending the legislators who broke party lines to support BJP-backed candidates.
The row was ignited when Patnaik alleged that the 11 opposition MLAs who voted for the BJP and its allies possessed questionable backgrounds.
“I had spoken to many of you in the last few days about the BJP and their allies and the kind of horse-trading they may attempt. They have gathered many people who voted for them. Most of those who cross-voted have criminal pasts. You can check how many of their parents went to jail,” the BJD chief had stated earlier in the day.
Reacting to these claims, Chief Minister Majhi labelled the comments “unfortunate” and argued that they undermined the inherent dignity of elected representatives. “The recent remarks made by Patnaik, in which he called the MLAs who voted on their conscience as having ‘criminal backgrounds’, are not only unfortunate but also an affront to the dignity of democracy,” Majhi asserted.
Further criticising Patnaik’s stance, Majhi described the veteran leader’s words as “immature and insulting.” He noted that such rhetoric was unexpected from a long-serving former chief minister. “Such words are never expected from a person who has served as a chief minister for a long time. To call MLAs who have proved their worth in their constituencies by prioritising the interests of the people and the development of the state as criminals is an insult to the thousands of voters who elected them,” the Chief Minister added.
“When there is a lack of internal democracy within the regional party (BJD) and the leadership is confined to a few specific groups, it is only natural for self-respecting representatives to speak up,” Majhi said.
Intensifying his critique, the Chief Minister pointed out a perceived hypocrisy in Patnaik’s characterisation of the defecting MLAs. “Naveen Babu is probably forgetting that the people he is calling criminals today were his party’s assets a few days ago, and he himself campaigned for them. Did their family background seem clean to him then?” Majhi questioned, dismissing the comments as a bitter reaction to the Rajya Sabha defeat.
Majhi framed the election results as a mandate for the state’s progress under the current administration. “Whoever does not remain on the path of development of Odisha, people have the power to change them. The BJP is working with determination to take forward the prosperity and development of Odisha as a people’s government. Its reflection was seen today in the Rajya Sabha elections,” he stated confidently.
“This landslide victory of the BJP and its supported Independent candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections is not just a party success, but it is a reflection of the strong leadership and visionary guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
Responding to the Chief Minister’s remarks, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty issued a statement suggesting that Majhi had failed to grasp the gravity of Patnaik’s concerns. “Majhi criticised the Leader of Opposition because he was unable to understand what Patnaik told in his statement”.
“It is indeed a historic day because horse-trading, as alleged by the Leader of the Opposition, is true. Odisha is shamed because of horse trading today,” he added.
