Bhubaneswar: A meeting of Rajya Sabha members of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) was held in Bhubaneswar on Monday to discuss and decide the regional party’s role and approach in Parliament.
The meeting, chaired by BJD president Naveen Patnaik, was attended by all nine Rajya Sabha MPS of the regional party. The meeting was held at Naveen Niwas, the party supremo’s residence in the capital city, sources said.
During the meeting with the party chief, the BJD MPs discussed strategies to be adopted by them in Parliament.
Sources said Naveen instructed all the nine MPs in Rajya Sabha to raise issues concerning Odisha in a more sharp and powerful manner. The party also decided to emerge as a strong opposition voice in Rajya Sabha.
All eyes are now set on the BJD, which extended issue-based support to the BJP-led government at the Centre in the past. Observers are eager to know the stand to be adopted by the regional party.
Notably, the BJD failed to win even one of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha in the recent elections. While BJP won 20 Lok Sabha seats, Congress managed to emerge victorious in one constituency.
Following the poll debacle in the revent general elections, BJD for the first time in its electoral history has no representation in the Lok Sabha.
However, the BJD now has nine members in Rajya Sabha and the party is set to play an important role in the upper house of Parliament.
After the meeting, BJD MP Sasmit Patra said that the party president has asked the Rajya Sabha members to effectively raise the voice of the people of the state in the upper house of Parliament.
“Naveen Patnaik ji chaired the meeting of the BJD parliamentary party and has very strongly advised and directed us to be a very strong and effective opposition in the Parliament. Nine Rajya Sabha MPs of the Biju Janata Dal will be the strong voice of the state in the Parliament and will raise issues of 4.5 crore people of Odisha,” Patra said.
Earlier on Sunday, Naveen called upon party leaders to stay united and work hard to make a comeback in 2029.
The BJD, which ruled the state for over 24 years, lost to BJP in the recently-held assembly polls. The regional party won 51 of the 147 seats as against 78 bagged by the BJP.
“You all know that the BJP in Odisha has got four seats more than the majority mark of 78 in the 147-member Assembly. In Delhi, the BJP is running a minority government. Hence, you should work hard, stay united, and strengthen the party,” the BJD supremo told party workers.
