Bhubaneswar, 07 October (H.S.): The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday reversed its earlier position on the Odisha bandh called for Thursday, with senior party leader and chief whip Pramila Mallik clarifying that the party will not support the statewide shutdown.

The BJD changed its stand within about half an hour after Mallik had initially announced that the party would support the bandh called by the Congress-led INDIA bloc.

Earlier in the day, after emerging from Naveen Niwas, Mallik had told the media that the BJD would support Thursday’s bandh. She had said the party had already backed the INDIA bloc’s agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi.

However, in a subsequent interaction with the media, Mallik clarified the party’s position and said the BJD would not support the shutdown.

“We will not support tomorrow’s bandh. Did those who called the bandh ask us? We have only supported the issue concerning SIR and Gyanesh Kumar,” Mallik said.

The Congress-led INDIA bloc has called for a statewide bandh on Thursday, demanding action against and the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) issue. The alliance is also demanding withdrawal of the amended Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act.

The BJD’s initial statement had led to speculation over whether the principal opposition party in Odisha would join the bandh. Mallik’s subsequent clarification, however, made it clear that the party would stay away from the shutdown.

Mallik also reiterated that the BJD is not part of any political alliance and maintains an equidistant position from both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.

“BJD is not in any front. We believe in the policy of equidistance,” she said.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda