Bhubaneswar: A day after Odisha moved the Supreme Court seeking enforcement of a status quo order, an Andhra Pradesh official visited Phatusineri village within Kotia gram panchayat on Saturday, installing Telugu name boards at the entry points ahead of the upcoming MPTC and ZPTC elections.
The move reignited the decades-old border dispute between the two states over the Kotia region, where Odisha administers all 28 villages under the gram panchayat while Andhra Pradesh claims rights over 21 of them.
The dispute reached the apex court in 1968, leading to a 2006 status quo order. However, friction spiked when Andhra Pradesh issued an October 10 notification to conduct local body elections in three phases between November 26 and December 2 in disputed pockets including Fatusineri, Ganjeipadar, and Phagunasineri. Following approval from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari confirmed that the state, through the Koraput district collector, filed a contempt petition in the apex court naming Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Secretary, State Election Commissioner, and local collectors as parties to prevent further unauthorised administrative activities.
Ground reports highlight growing concerns over Andhra Pradesh’s expanding influence, which includes installing CCTV cameras at strategic entry points to covertly monitor cross-border movement. The friction is further compounded by a aggressive welfare scheme rivalry; while Odisha provides ₹1,000 monthly pensions to elderly and widow beneficiaries, Andhra Pradesh offers up to ₹4,000 alongside wider financial packages, prompting some residents to secure voter IDs and documentation from the neighbouring state. Additionally, Telugu-speaking villages in the region have been increasingly drawn into Andhra Pradesh’s electoral setup under the Parvathipuram Manyam district, contrasting with Odia-majority areas that remain aligned with Koraput’s administration.
Political reactions in Odisha have been sharp. A 16-member Biju Janata Dal delegation, including MLA Manohar Randhari, former ministers Jagannath Saraka and Rabinarayan Nanda, former MPs Jhinna Hikaka and Pradeep Majhi, and senior leader Bhrugu Baxipatra, visited the region on Friday. The team raised “Andhra Go Back” slogans, interacted with residents of Phatusineri, Neredivalasa, Ganjeipadar and other villages, and urged them not to participate in the Andhra Pradesh polls. Leaders claimed they found YSR Congress Party workers campaigning in Phatusineri and said the workers left after the delegation objected. They criticised the Mohan Charan Majhi government for inadequate response and alleged failure to protect state interests despite a “triple-engine” setup, while noting that a letter from BJD president Naveen Patnaik to the chief minister had gone unanswered. Senior BJD figures argued that previous initiatives under Naveen Patnaik had advanced development in Kotia and accused the current administration of falling short.
In response, BJP state president Manmohan Samal and state general secretary Biranchi Narayan Tripathy rejected the criticisms, asserting that state committees under the Chief Minister and Revenue Minister are actively taking legal and developmental steps. “A unified, bipartisan approach is essential to address the ongoing incursions and safeguard Odisha’s territorial integrity in the border region,” Samal added.
Meanwhile, local police and excise teams have heightened vigilance across Kotia, conducting regular ground reviews, enhancing awareness campaigns, and urging residents not to fall for inducements.
