olitical tensions in Odisha have intensified ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, with Congress MLA Sofia Firdous expressing dissatisfaction over the party’s approach to candidate selection and internal decision-making. She alleged that the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has been largely responsible for the decline of the Congress in the state and criticized the lack of consultation within her own party.
Allegations Against BJD and Lack of Consultation
Speaking on the issue, Sofia Firdous claimed that Congress leaders were not consulted regarding key political decisions. She said similar concerns had surfaced earlier during the Nuapada election, when discussions with party members were allegedly overlooked by the leadership.
Firdous further accused the BJD of playing a role in weakening the Congress in Odisha over the years. According to her, the same party that once contributed to Congress’ decline is now seen aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on several occasions. She also alleged that the BJD continues to support the government without raising strong questions, which she believes affects the political balance in the state.
BJD Holds Training Session for MLAs
Meanwhile, the BJD held a special training session for its legislators at Naveen Niwas to prepare them for the upcoming Rajya Sabha voting. The session was led by party supremo Naveen Patnaik and was attended by around 44 MLAs.
However, several legislators, including Naba Mallick, Souvic Biswal, Manohar Randhari, and Chakramani Kanhar, reportedly did not attend the session. Other MLAs such as Sarada Nayak and Sudarsan Haripal arrived after the training session had concluded.
Questions Over Absence of MLAs
The absence of several BJD legislators from the training session has raised questions within political circles. Observers are asking why some MLAs skipped the session despite the party issuing instructions regarding participation.
At the same time, there appears to be uncertainty within the Congress camp as well. Congress Legislature Party leader Dasharathi Gamang said that he had not been able to reach one of the party’s MLAs by phone. However, he added that the concerned leader was reportedly in touch with the state Congress president and leaders of the Indian National Congress at the national level.
The developments have added to the political intrigue in Odisha ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls.