Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday slammed BJD chief Naveen Patnaik, urging him to “stop spreading falsehoods” regarding the alleged reduction of Odisha’s political representation in Parliament should the delimitation bill be passed.
The senior BJP leader said this in response to the former Chief Minister’s claims on Saturday that all 20 BJP MPs from Odisha voted against the state’s interest when the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on April 17.
Patnaik had asserted that Odisha’s political rights would be compromised if the bill were enacted.
“Odisha’s representation in Parliament, which stands at 3.9 per cent, will be reduced to 3.4 per cent if the delimitation bill is passed,” Patnaik had alleged, while urging all MPs from the state, including those from the BJP, to vote against it.
However, the BJP MPs voted in favour of the bill, which was ultimately defeated due to a lack of the required two-thirds majority in the House.
On the other hand, Pradhan argued that Odisha’s representation would actually increase from 3.87 per cent to 3.91 per cent if the bill were passed.
He added that the number of Lok Sabha members from the state would rise from the current 21 to 32 following the implementation of the delimitation bill, he said.
Taking to X, Pradhan said, “I was surprised to hear the statement made by @Naveen_Odisha, the leader of the opposition party in Odisha, through the media. How could a person like you make such a statement that is creating confusion in the minds of the people of Odisha? The things you have said seem baseless and ridiculous.”
The Union Education Minister stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government sought to ensure 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies through the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’.
During the parliamentary discussions on the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill on April 16 and 17, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had clearly stated that the representation of all states, including Odisha, would increase by 50 per cent.
“The number of Lok Sabha seats in Odisha will increase from 21 to 32, and accordingly, at least 11 women will get the opportunity to represent Odisha as new MPs. Odisha’s representation is currently 3.87 per cent in the Lok Sabha, while if these seats increase, it will rise to 3.91 per cent, thereby strengthening Odisha’s role at the national level,” Pradhan said.
ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ବିରୋଧୀ ଦଳ ନେତା @Naveen_Odisha ବାବୁ ଗଣମାଧ୍ୟମକୁ ଦେଇଥିବା ବିବୃତ୍ତି ଶୁଣି ମୋତେ ଆଶ୍ଚର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଲାଗିଲା । ଆପଣଙ୍କ ଭଳି ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ଏଭଳି ବକ୍ତବ୍ୟ କେମିତି ଦେଇପାରିଲେ, ଯାହା ଓଡ଼ିଶାବାସୀଙ୍କ ମନରେ ଭ୍ରମ ତିଆରି କରୁଛି । ଆପଣ ଯେଉଁ କଥା କହିଛନ୍ତି, ସେହି କଥା ଭିତ୍ତିହୀନ ଓ ହାସ୍ୟାସ୍ପଦ ଭଳି ମନେହେଉଛି ।
ଦେଶର…
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) April 19, 2026
The Sambalpur Lok Sabha MP further added, “We expect fact-based information from people like you (Patnaik). I believe that if you reveal the truth based on facts instead of spreading falsehoods, the true interests of Odisha will be served.”
