The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday launched a month-long statewide Jan Sampark Padayatra to highlight the alleged failures of the Mohan Charan Majhi government.

The campaign was launched from Puri’s Suando village, the birthplace of freedom fighter Pandit Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das, on his 148th birth anniversary.

“The campaign will raise public awareness on key issues such as the current government’s failure to fulfil promises, atrocities against women, deterioration of law and order, attempts to undermine democratic and constitutional institutions, neglect of farmers’ concerns, unemployment, among others,” the BJD said.

The party will also flag challenges faced by students, price rise, and discrimination against SC-ST communities, backward classes and minorities. BJD cadres will also showcase people-oriented programmes implemented by the BJD government over the years.

For the first time, the BJD is organising the padayatra in the absence of party supremo Naveen Patnaik, who is currently in Delhi. BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra said: “We launched the padayatra to convey the message of Naveen Patnaik to the masses.”

Arun Sahu said: “The BJP has come to power on the plank of Odia pride (Odia Asmita). But Odia pride has lost its sheen and no one is talking about it...The state’s development has come to a halt.”

Former MP Amar Patnaik said: “Once the BJD was the power of the Odias and Odisha. But with the BJP coming to power, the administration has lost direction...”

The party also organised padayatras at Cuttack and at Nuapada, which goes to polls next month. BJD leader and former minister Snehangini Chhuria said: “Naveenbabu has a special place in his heart for Nuapada. The BJD had initiated some development programmes for the district. But with the BJP government coming to power, all our hopes have been dashed.”

“The Mohan Majhi government has completely failed in tackling law and order issues in the state. The thousand-year-old bhaichara (brotherhood) of Cuttack city has been tarnished. Odisha’s secular image has been dented,” said Cuttack mayor Subash Singh.

BJP leader and minister of panchayati raj Rabi Nayak said: “The party has been rejected by the people. We have delivered on our promises. The BJD’s padayatra will have no impact.”