Bhubaneswar: Five of the seven BJD MPs backed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in Rajya Sabha this April, according to Parliament documents.
While Muzibulla Khan voted against the Bill and Debashish Samantray abstained due to “confusion” in the party’s stance, Sasmit Patra, Sulata Deo, Subhashish Khuntia, Manas Ranjan Mangraj, and Niranjan Bishi voted with the BJP-led NDA government.
Though the BJD might not have played a decisive role in passage of the Bill in Rajya Sabha, the unlikely collaborators widened the gap between the Opposition and Treasury benches, adding to the NDA’s tally of 128 with 95 voting against it.
The BJD had initially decided to oppose the Bill, expressing serious concerns over excessive state control, lack of procedural safeguards and ambiguity in dispute resolution. However, the party took a last-minute call to not issue a whip and allowed its MPs to vote according to their conscience.
This sudden shift in stance from strict opposition to the Bill snowballed into a major controversy, creating deep fissures in the regional party. Prominent leaders wrote to party supremo Naveen Patnaik, demanding accountability and action while expressing deep anguish over party MPs’ split voting. Senior leaders also held separate meetings at a city hotel to discuss the issue. A section of BJD leaders also saw it as a way to help the BJP and accused bureaucrat-turned-politician V K Pandian for the party’s change of stance.
Later, Naveen issued a statement, disapproving large meetings in hotels held by party members. He also defended Pandian, insisting that the former bureaucrat was not involved in any party activities after exiting the BJD.