Bhubaneswar, March 4: The Bharatiya Janata Party has been embarrassed after the BJD's motion demanding special-category state status for Odisha was defeated in the Lok Sabha yesterday.
"The defeat of the motion has exposed the BJP, which has been shedding crocodile tears for Odisha," said BJD leader in Lok Sabha Bhartruhari Mahatab, who had moved the motion.
The BJP had been making efforts to make inroads in the state since the Narendra Modi government came to power at the Centre. Modi had visited the state twice last month. Several Union ministers have also been frequenting the state.
While the party has been trying to consolidate its organisational base in the state, the central BJP leadership at the same time has been maintaining soft attitude towards Naveen Patnaik government, leading to the Opposition's allegation about "match-fixing" between the two parties in the wake of CBI investigation into the ongoing deposit collection scam. Both Prime Minister Modi and BJP president Amit Shah had maintained silence on the Naveen Patnaik government during their visits to the state, much to the disappointment of the state leaders.
However, the BJD move on the special-category state issue has apparently soured the relations.
BJD leaders pointed out that Union tribal affairs minister Jual Oram, the lone party MP from Odisha, voted against the motion. "That vindicates how much sympathy does the BJP have for Odisha," said a BJD leader.
"Should I have voted against the government, of which I am a part?" asked Oram, stating that had the amendment motion to the thanksgiving motion for Presidential address to the Parliament been passed, it would have resulted in the fall of the government.
However, Mahatab contested it, saying that the government would not have fallen had the amendment to the thanks-giving motion been passed. "He (Oram) is in a fool's paradise. It was not a money bill," said the BJD leader.
On the other hand, accusing the BJD of not being sincere to pursue the demand, Oram said, "Had they been sincere, they could have brought the matter through different form. Their sincerity was evident from the fact that five BJD MPs were absent at the time of voting".
BJD MPs Baijayant Panda, Prasanna Patasani, Jhina Hikaka, Shakuntala Laguri and Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh were absent in the House while the party demanded voting.
Mahatab said: "These MPs were away from Delhi and they had sought permission to remain absent. Their presence would have hardly mattered, but we have achieved moral victory by receiving the support of other Opposition parties to our long-standing demand."
The BJP alleged that the fact that the Congress's support to the BJD-sponsored motion had exposed the "nexus" between the two parties.
Reacting to the allegation, state Congress president Prasad Harichandan said, "It's not question of supporting the BJD. It's an issue of the state's interest."
