Biju Janata Dal criticizes Odisha government over floods and jobs

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has launched several criticisms against the BJP-led Odisha government regarding disaster management and employment.

BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty condemned Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari for his remarks concerning the state’s flooding. The dispute arose after heavy rainfall caused severe waterlogging in districts such as Baleshwar, Bhadrak, and Jajpur. Minister Pujari had attributed the drainage issues to encroachments and infrastructure failures from the previous BJD administration, even making a joke about former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik having ‘Indra Dev on speed dial’ to stop the rain. The BJD dismissed these comments as political theatre and urged the government to focus on providing food and relief to affected citizens.

Additionally, the BJD accused the Mohan Charan Majhi-led government of failing to resolve the state’s job crisis. Mohanty challenged the government’s claim of providing 45,000 jobs since June 2024, alleging that many of these recruitments stem from processes initiated during the BJD’s previous tenure. The opposition also noted that nearly 94,485 government posts remain vacant and questioned the lack of transparency regarding employment generated by recent industrial investment proposals.