All posts tagged: Patnaik

‘Remain aligned with Modi’: Why Dharmendra Pradhan ‘reached out’ to Naveen Patnaik | Political Pulse News

‘Remain aligned with Modi’: Why Dharmendra Pradhan ‘reached out’ to Naveen Patnaik | Political Pulse News

Published by Parlour News

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s recent statement urging Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to remain aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears laden with political messaging amid shifting political dynamics in Odisha. Addressing a gathering in Rairakhol in his Sambalpur parliamentary constituency over a week ago, Pradhan took a swipe at Patnaik for the BJD’s stand on the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. The Bill had proposed to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha as well state Assemblies as well as provide 33% quota for women. With senior BJD leader and Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly, Prasanna Acharya, present at the meeting, Pradhan appealed to him to “convince” Patnaik. “Naveen babu is a good person, but his party opposed the Bill that had provisions to increase seats in Parliament and state assemblies. We request Prasanna bhai to meet Naveen babu and convince him not to take a fluctuating stand and …

Nishikant Dubey’s statement on Biju Patnaik keeps Odisha politics boiling

Nishikant Dubey’s statement on Biju Patnaik keeps Odisha politics boiling

Published by Parlour News

For a suave politician like Naveen Patnaik, the remark, “I think the MP [Nishikant Dubey] needs some mental doctor’s attention”, and Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra stepping down from a Parliamentary standing committee may appear disproportionate responses to what was described as a ‘distasteful’ comment on the legendary Biju Patnaik by a BJP MP known for making controversial remarks. Naveen Patnaik slams Nishikant Dubey for ‘outrageous’ remarks against Biju Patnaikhttps://t.co/FlscWk1vig — The Hindu (@the_hindu) March 30, 2026 However, for leaders of the Biju Janata Dal, such a reaction was both inevitable and non-negotiable, given that the party’s very foundation rests on the legacy of Biju Patnaik’s achievements. Although BJP leaders like Baijayant Panda and Dilip Ray issued statements eulogising legendary leader and his contribution to nation, they stopped short of outright condemnation or calling for action against him. Since then, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has taken to the streets, regaining some political ground amid the controversy following its Rajya Sabha setback. The party’s leaders have sought to reconnect with the public after Biju Patnaik revered across party lines …

BJP leaders turn on own MP after shocking CIA claims against Biju Patnaik

BJP leaders turn on own MP after shocking CIA claims against Biju Patnaik

Published by Parlour News

3 min readBhubaneswarMar 30, 2026 08:31 PM IST BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s comments on former Odisha chief minister Biju Patnaik were condemned by his party colleague Baijayant Panda, who said on Monday that casting aspersions on Patnaik’s patriotism is “fantastical and patently ludicrous”. Panda, who is a national vice president of the BJP and an MP from Odisha’s Kendrapada, called Biju Patnaik one of the greatest patriots of modern India. Disapproving of Dubey’s remarks, Panda said such attacks were “unworthy, uninformed and totally unacceptable”. “Biju uncle was a towering personality, not just Odisha’s tallest leader of his era, but among the leading lights of the nation. National pride burned deep in his veins, and he dedicated his life to liberating India and uplifting Odisha. He did that as a pilot, industrialist, political leader, and global trouble-shooter. His heroic missions, diplomatic and defence initiatives all contributed to strengthening our fledgling republic,” Panda said in a post on X. Baijayant Panda’s father, Bansidhar Panda, a noted industrialist in Odisha, had close ties with Biju Patnaik. Though he …

Naveen Patnaik slams Nishikant Dubey’s remarks on Biju Patnaik, calls them ‘outrageous’| India News

Naveen Patnaik slams Nishikant Dubey’s remarks on Biju Patnaik, calls them ‘outrageous’| India News

Published by Parlour News

Bhubaneswar: BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Monday criticised BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s remarks on former Odisha chief minister Biju Patnaik, terming the comments “outrageous” and describing them as baseless allegations against a leader regarded as Odisha’s pride. Former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik. (Arabinda Mahapatra/Hindustan Times) The controversy stems from Dubey’s recent statement questioning Biju Patnaik’s role during the Sino-Indian War of 1962. Dubey alleged that then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru conducted the war effort with American assistance and coordination with the CIA, and claimed that Biju Patnaik acted as a liaison between the US government, the CIA and Nehru. Responding to the remarks, former CM Patnaik said he was “surprised” and “shocked” by what he described as false and irresponsible insinuations about his father’s role in national defence. He recalled that Nehru had relied on Biju Patnaik during the conflict and had even placed an office next to his in Delhi to coordinate tactical responses against Chinese forces. “I was very young at the time, about 13 years old, but I remember how furious …

Will History Repeat in Odisha? Naveen Patnaik Fears ‘2002 Rerun’ as Rajya Sabha Battle Triggers Resort Politics

Will History Repeat in Odisha? Naveen Patnaik Fears ‘2002 Rerun’ as Rajya Sabha Battle Triggers Resort Politics

Published by Parlour News

4 min readBhubaneswarUpdated: Mar 15, 2026 05:50 PM IST Fears of cross-voting have triggered political caution in Odisha ahead of voting for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat, where no party has clear numbers. While the Congress has moved some of its MLAs to a private resort in Bengaluru, the BJD has stepped up efforts to keep its legislators together. Party president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has asked BJD MLAs to attend two-hour meetings at his residence, Naveen Niwas, for three days starting Friday. According to Patnaik’s letter to party legislators, the meetings will include presentations and training sessions on the Rajya Sabha poll procedure and voting process. “A contest in the Rajya Sabha election in Odisha is being held after 12 years. The last time it was held was in February 2014. Many MLAs are not familiar with the voting process, so it is important to train them to ensure votes are not rejected,” a senior BJD leader said. On Sunday, Patnaik is scheduled to chair a BJD legislature party meeting at his …

BJP indulging in horse-trading to win Rajya Sabha election; former CM Naveen Patnaik

BJP indulging in horse-trading to win Rajya Sabha election; former CM Naveen Patnaik

Published by Parlour News

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik. File. | Photo Credit: ANI Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday (March 14, 2026) accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its three candidates of indulging in horse-trading ahead of the ensuing Rajya Sabha elections. “There is horse-trading going on, with BJP leaders and their three Rajya Sabha candidates trying their best to secure votes through such means, which, as you know, is an offence to win a democratic election,” Mr. Patnaik alleged. Echoing the charge, senior Arun Sahoo, a BJD MLA and former minister, said a party lacking adequate numbers should not be claiming victory. “One party does not have the numbers to win the election. Yet, despite that, it has fielded candidates and is backing them while claiming they will win. This clearly points towards horse-trading, which is far removed from ideology and ethics,” Mr. Sahoo said. Another BJD legislator, Byomkesh Ray, alleged that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi himself was involved in contacting MLAs. “He is personally calling MLAs separately and making deals at his official residence. …

Patnaik accuses Mohan Majhi govt of betraying farmers over paddy procurement| India News

Patnaik accuses Mohan Majhi govt of betraying farmers over paddy procurement| India News

Published by Parlour News

Former chief minister and Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik on Monday alleged that there has been a “complete systemic failure” in the state’s ongoing Kharif paddy procurement operations at state-run mandis. Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi at the inauguration of the paddy procurement system in Kendujhar on December 26 (@CMO_Odisha X) In a letter to chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Patnaik alleged that the current procurement season has been marked by “profound struggle” for the farmer community, and attributed the crisis to administrative negligence and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government’s failure to honour its 2024 poll promises. “At the heart of farmer grievances lies the continued prevalence of ‘katni chhatni’ — arbitrary and illegal deductions from agricultural produce at procurement centres. During the 2024 elections, you made solemn commitments to the farming community regarding enhanced MSP and stopping of Katni-Chhatni. However, the ground reality across Mandis tells a story of betrayal,” Patnaik said in his letter. He alleged that deductions of 5-7 kg per quintal, or even higher, are being made under …

Patnaik becomes BJD president for 9th time, asks party workers to expose BJP’s ‘false’ narrative

Patnaik becomes BJD president for 9th time, asks party workers to expose BJP’s ‘false’ narrative

Published by Parlour News

Former Odisha Chief Minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik. File | Photo Credit: PTI Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who was chosen as the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president for the ninth time in a row, on Saturday (April 19, 2025) called upon party workers to expose the alleged false narrative of the ruling BJP. BJD’s organisational election returning officer P.K. Deb announced Mr. Patnaik as the party president at the state council meeting held at its state headquarters, Sankha Bhawan. Addressing party leaders and workers after being named as the BJD president, Mr. Patnaik said, “We conceded defeat in the last Assembly election by a narrow margin, even though our party got more votes. This is because we couldn’t effectively counter the false narrative. Creating a false narrative is the main strategy against the BJD. We should be aggressive in exposing this, especially on social media.” The Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly also said, “We need to improve our social media presence. Technology should be used to tell the truth and …

Odisha: Naveen Patnaik files nomination for post of Biju Janata Dal president for 9th time | Video

Odisha: Naveen Patnaik files nomination for post of Biju Janata Dal president for 9th time | Video

Published by Webster

Odisha: After filing the papers, Patnaik said the BJD government from 2000 to 2024 had achieved significant development for Odisha and brought recognition to the state at both national and international levels. Bhubaneswar: The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Odisha assembly, Naveen Patnaik, on Thursday filed his nomination papers for the post of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president for the ninth time. Patnaik filed his nomination papers on the 28th death anniversary of his father, Biju Patnaik, after whom the regional party- ‘Biju Janata Dal’- is named. The former chief minister was the sole candidate for the post, said BJD’s returning officer for the organisational elections, Pratap K Deb Patnaik has been elected BJD president eight times in a row since the party’s inception in 1997. He was last elected to the post in February 2020. He filed his nomination papers on the 28th death anniversary of his father Biju Patnaik, after whom the regional party, the Biju Janata Dal, is named. “The time for filing nominations was between 10 am and 1 pm. We …

In letter to Patnaik, BJD veteran flags attempt to ‘hijack party’, dent on secular credentials | Latest News India

In letter to Patnaik, BJD veteran flags attempt to ‘hijack party’, dent on secular credentials | Latest News India

Published by Parlour News

Bhubaneswar, Warning BJD chief Naveen Patnaik of attempts to “hijack the party”, senior leader Ranendra Pratap Swain said the internal fiasco on the Waqf Amendment Act has raised serious questions about “our stand on secularism”. In letter to Patnaik, BJD veteran flags attempt to ‘hijack party’, dent on secular credentials In a letter to Patnaik, which was made public on Monday, Swain said the BJD must reaffirm its commitment to both social justice and secularism. “The recent discontent among party workers over the Waqf Bill controversy has raised serious questions about our stand on secularism. In this context, I sincerely urge that the party must reaffirm its commitment to both social justice and secularism as its core planks and take the cadre into full confidence moving forward,” the eight-term MLA said in the letter. “Sir, this is a moment to reclaim our ideological legacy and reassert our identity as a party rooted in Social Justice-with secularism and regional dignity as its pillars. The people of Odisha are looking to us for principled leadership,” he added. …