The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday voiced strong disapproval over recent remarks made by senior BJP leader and Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari regarding the ideological foundations of political parties, calling his statements as “highly inappropriate” and “childish.”
During a media briefing on Friday, Revenue Minister Pujari had claimed that the BJD is on the brink of imminent collapse, with leaders quitting almost every day. He contended that in a democratic framework, political parties that lack deep-rooted ideological principles and rely strictly on power dynamics to exist are inherently unstable and unlikely to endure.
Countering the remarks at a press conference, the regional party argued that the Revenue Minister’s remarks were simply a calculated tactic to divert public attention away from the widening fractures and internal dissent brewing within the ruling BJP.
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty stated that the last two years of BJP rule in Odisha have been defined by weak leadership, widespread misgovernance, and escalating corruption, noting that citizens are increasingly vocal about wanting former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik back at the helm.
Addressing the exit of former BJD Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray to the BJP and his subsequent nomination for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election, Mohanty said that any leader in a democracy possesses the absolute right to switch political allegiances. However, he emphasised that the comments madeby Suresh Pujari chose to offer following the defection was fundamentally “highly inappropriate and childish.”
The BJD spokesperson went on to highlight a recent political survey, which reportedly indicates that if assembly elections were called today, the BJD would triumphantly sweep more than 80 seats, leaving the BJP to face a massive electoral defeat. In light of these projections, Mohanty argued, the BJP has been forced to fall back on empty, trivial ideological posturing.
He stated that the survey’s prediction of a landslide BJD victory has sent shockwaves through the ruling party, pushing the BJP into a distinct “panic mode.”
According to him, increasing leadership crises and internal conflicts within the BJP have led the party to attempt to lure leaders from other political parties.
