Bhubaneswar, 23 October (H.S.): BJP Odisha general secretary Biranchi Narayan Tripathy on Thursday asserted that Kotia is an integral part of Odisha and the state government would not surrender even an inch of land to Andhra Pradesh.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP state headquarters, Tripathy accused former Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik of politicising the issue through social media posts and letters. He asked the BJD to explain its record on Kotia during its 24 years in power.

Tripathy alleged that the then BJD government failed to prevent Andhra Pradesh from conducting panchayat elections in four Kotia villages—Ganjeipadar, Phatusineri, Phagunusineri and Neredibalsa—on February 13, 2021. He also questioned the delay in the proposed visit of an Assembly House Committee to Kotia, announced in 2022.

The BJP leader said the present state government had constituted a high-level committee under the leadership of the Chief Minister and the Revenue Minister to address the dispute. He added that ministers had visited Kotia to strengthen public outreach and accelerate development, including electricity connectivity, Odia education and the delivery of welfare benefits.

Rejecting the BJD’s allegation that the Centre was reluctant to act because of its dependence on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Tripathy claimed that the NDA had 319 Lok Sabha MPs and retained a majority even without the TDP’s 16 members.

BJP state spokespersons Dilip Mallik and Sanjay Rath were present at the press conference.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda