Biju Janata Dal accuses Odisha BJP government of mismanagement

Naveen Patnaik, President of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Leader of the Opposition in Odisha, has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government of widespread mismanagement. During the launch of the BJD’s annual ‘Jan Sampark’ padayatra in Bhubaneswar, Patnaik cited issues including delays in old-age pensions, shortages of textbooks for children, farmer distress, and deteriorating law and order.

Patnaik further alleged failures in flood relief, paddy procurement, recruitment exams, and the financial system. He also claimed the central government has diminished Odisha’s rights over its mineral resources while the state government and local BJP MPs remain silent.

In a related development, BJD leaders have dismissed allegations from the BJP regarding corruption within the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Fund. The BJD denied claims of ₹26,000 crore in misappropriated funds, asserting that of the total collected, only ₹10,000 crore had been spent as of March 2024, leaving ₹16,000 crore in the repository. The party argued that the BJP is using these allegations to distract from controversies surrounding the MMDR Amendment.