Bhubaneswar: Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday wrote to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, raising severe concerns over escalating tensions in the disputed Kotia group of villages in Koraput district.
The letter comes a day after police personnel from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh engaged in a scuffle on at the inter-State border while asserting their respective jurisdictional claims over the villages, amid the upcoming November 5 elections to Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs), which the latter wants to conduct iin the contested territory.
Highlighting the gravity of Andhra Pradesh proceeding with elections in the region on November 5, Naveen noted that ground conditions have significantly worsened. “As the Chief Minister of Odisha, it is your moral responsibility to ensure that the state’s legitimate interests are firmly protected and the situation on the ground is not allowed to escalate any further,” he wrote.
Referring to his previous communication on October 19 and Chief Minister Majhi’s response on October 27, the LoP urged the Chief Minister to immediately intervene with both the Union Government and the Andhra Pradesh state leadership at the highest levels.
Pointing out that both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are governed by parties belonging to the BJP-led NDA coalition, Naveen urged the Chief Minister to “walk the talk”. He invoked the BJP’s 2024 election manifesto, reminding the Chief Minister of his “moral responsibility” to honour the party’s promise and safeguard Odisha’s territorial integrity.
Decades-Long Boundary Dispute Escalates
The cluster of 21 villages in the Kotia region under Pottangi block has been subject to territorial claims by both states for decades, with Odisha maintaining that the area has been an integral part of its territory since the state’s formation in 1936. Despite a Supreme Court status quo order issued in 2006, tensions reignited after Andhra Pradesh issued notifications for local elections covering parts of the region, prompting Odisha to approach the apex court with a contempt petition.
The situation on the ground reached a boiling point on November 3 following reports of border barricading and police-level confrontations. In response, the Koraput district administration has imposed prohibitory orders across all 21 villages.
Political Exchange Over NDA Alliances
The latest letter escalates an ongoing political debate between the state leadership. In his earlier October 19 communication, Naveen questioned the action of the “double-engine” government. Chief Minister Majhi responded on October 27, reaffirming that Kotia remains an integral part of Odisha while criticising political framing of the dispute, urging for legally sustainable solutions alongside ongoing development work.
With voting scheduled for November 5, all eyes are on how the Odisha government will leverage its political alignment within the NDA to preserve its territorial interests and manage border coordination