Odisha: Turmoil in BJD over 'U-turn' on Waqf Bill refuses to die down

Bhubaneswar, April 7 (IANS) The internal unrest in the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is refusing to die down as party leaders on Monday engaged in a war of words over former bureaucrat and ex-Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik's close aide, VK Pandian's role in the unexpected decision of the party allowing its MPs to vote on the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in Rajya Sabha according to their conscience.

Notably, BJD had earlier announced to oppose the Bill (now an Act after Presidential assent) but later allowed changed its decision which triggered an internal strife within the party.

Many senior leaders later expressed their discontent over the sudden flip-flop in the party's stance on the Waqf (Amendment) bill.

On Monday, senior party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Debasish Samantaray led the attack on Pandian openly holding him responsible for the change of BJD’s stance on the Waqf (Amendment) bill 2025 in Rajya Sabha.

BJD MP Samantaray remained absent during the voting on the contentious bill reportedly following the confusion over party’s stance on the Bill.

Speaking to mediapersons, he also alleged that Pandian is still present with BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik and taking decisions on all the party related matters.

Samantaray further asserted that the former bureaucrat single-handedly destroyed the regional party in Odisha.

Meanwhile, other BJD MPs including Manas Mangaraj, Sulata Deo, Subhasish Khuntia and Niranjan Bishi came out in support of the ex-close aide of BJD president and criticised Rajya Sabha MP Samantaray.

“It's very unfortunate to see that my Rajya Sabha colleague Debasish Samantaray has attacked V.K. Pandian over Waqf Bill decision despite the fact that the latter has already retired from politics 10 months ago and is not participating in any meeting or political activity,” wrote Mangaraj on his X handle on Monday.

He noted that the former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is the leader of the party and takes the final decision in all matters related to the party.

“We have a leader, Naveen Patnaik, who is our party President and takes the final decisions on all matters. If we have any grievances or concerns, it's always appropriate to raise these on party forums. Many senior leaders in the last few days did the same. Samantaray instead of following this but going to media and talking against someone, who is no longer in the party politics, shows an ulterior motive misguided by some vested interests,” Mangaraj added.

Rajya Sabha MP Salata Deo accused Samantaray of deliberately targeting Pandian who had forced the former to apologise for misbehaving with one of the relatives of an Odia soldier who lost his life in the Pulwama attack in 2019.

She also alleged that Samantaray got asleep and failed to remain present during voting on the Waqf bill and to conceal his wrongdoing is blaming others.

Deo accused Samantaray of creating an unruly scene at the Naveen Niwas.

It is pertinent here to mention that earlier in the day, BJD MP Muzibulla Khan, who vociferously opposed the bill in the parliament, on Monday launched a scathing attack on senior leader Sasmit Patra for supporting the controversial bill.

He along with his supporters met the party supremo and demanded action against the persons responsible for the flipflop of BJD on the Waqf bill. His supporters and party workers belonging to the minority community raised slogans against Pandian before Patnaik at Naveen Niwas.

--IANS

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