BJP Government Lacks Sincerity Towards Kotia: BJD
- State Government Conspiring to Hand Over Kotia to Andhra Pradesh
- During the Tenure of Former Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik, Kotia Had Become a Development Model for the Entire Country
- What Has the State Government Done for Kotia in the Last Two-and-a-Half Years?
- BJD Appeals to the Prime Minister for Permanent Resolution of the Kotia Border Dispute During his Visit to Odisha
Bhubaneswar, 25/10/2026: The BJP government, which frequently invokes the pride and identity of Odia Asmita, has not demonstrated even the slightest sincerity towards the Kotia issue. Despite the BJP having a triple-engine government in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and at the Centre, the State Government has remained silent on the matter. Senior General Secretary, former Member of Parliament and National Spokesperson Shri Pradeep Majhi, along with Senior General Secretary and National Spokesperson Shri BhruguBuxipatra, strongly criticised the State Government at a press conference held at Sankha Bhawan.
Shri Majhi said that, the Prime Minister’s visit to Odisha brings several important issues into focus. The BJP government has failed to fulfil the promises it made during the elections regarding Kotia. Kotia is a paradise of Odisha and attracts tourists with its natural beauty. While the people of Odisha assert that Kotia belongs to them, the region today has been left helpless and neglected. There is no one to look after its deteriorating condition. Before and after the elections, the BJP government made numerous promises but subsequently forgot to fulfil them. Former Union Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan had visited Kotia and declared that they would never address their mother as an aunt, referring to the commitment to protect their motherland. He had also celebrated Utkal Divas there and stated that they would never allow their motherland to pass into the hands of Andhra Pradesh. However, it has now become evident that these declarations were merely symbolic gestures intended for public consumption. The BJP government lacks sincerity on this issue. With the BJP in power in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and at the Centre, the governments could have intervened directly and resolved the problem had they genuinely wished to do so. However, they have failed to take any such initiative.
The State Government had promised that the South Odisha Development Council would help resolve the Kotia issue. Several ministers visited Kotia and made public statements claiming that a permanent solution would be found. However, all these promises proved to be empty rhetoric, and no permanent solution emerged. Despite repeated visits to Kotia by the Deputy Chief Minister, Union Ministers and Cabinet Ministers, the outcome has been zero. Shri Majhi questioned what the State Government had actually done for Kotia during the last two-and-a-half years. While Kotia had remained remote and inaccessible, substantial developmental work was undertaken during the tenure of former Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik. Kotia had emerged as a development model for the entire country. Electricity, roads, schools, a police station and livelihood opportunities were provided, transforming the region. The benefits of development under the BJD government had reached the people directly. A special fund of ₹164 crore had been allocated for Kotia. However, under the BJP government, the region has been neglected.
Although Kotia belongs to Odisha, the villages in the region continue to face the threat of Andhra Pradesh’s encroachment. During the last two-and-a-half years, the BJP government has not even undertaken basic maintenance work, let alone development activities. Today, Kotia lies in a dilapidated condition. The BJP government excels in speeches but has delivered nothing in terms of actual work. While a dispute continues between the two States over Kotia, Shri Majhi questioned why the Chief Minister remains silent. Ministers and political leaders from Andhra Pradesh are entering Odisha and conducting political campaigns in Kotia. Yet, the BJP government remains silent despite witnessing these developments. He questioned where the BJP government’s much-publicised commitment to Odia Asmita had disappeared. Shri Majhi further alleged that the Chief Minister, without properly understanding the Kotia issue, had delegated responsibility to the District Collector and left for Mumbai. He questioned how a Sub-Collector could be expected to resolve such a sensitive dispute. The Chief Minister, he alleged, was prioritising his party over the interests of the State and its land. He urged the Chief Minister to uphold the responsibilities of his office and stay away from political manoeuvring. Shri Majhi warned that unless the BJP government wakes up, Kotia could end up under the control of the Andhra Pradesh government. Nearly 95 per cent of the population in Kotia comprises tribal communities. He questioned whether the BJP government was conspiring to push these people towards Andhra Pradesh. The BJD has always fought to protect Kotia and will continue its struggle in the future.
Shri BhruguBuxipatraSaid that, on the directions of former Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik, a BJD fact-finding team had visited Kotia to investigate the border dispute. The team examined the situation on the ground in detail, and its findings were also presented before the media. Despite being aware of these findings, the State Government has failed to devote serious attention to resolving the dispute. The Prime Minister is visiting Odisha today. With the BJP having a triple-engine government, the Prime Minister could have resolved the Kotia border dispute. He urged the Prime Minister to understand the problems faced by the people of Odisha and take concrete steps to resolve the issue. During the elections, the BJP had promised to resolve the Kotia border dispute but has forgotten to fulfil that commitment. All disputes between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have intensified over the last two-and-a-half years, with no resolution in sight. Despite the BJP being in power at all three levels, the Odisha Government has remained silent. The Centre’s decisions, he alleged, have consistently favoured the Andhra Pradesh government. If the Prime Minister gives the matter serious attention, the dispute could be resolved within a short period. It is therefore imperative that he takes immediate action during his visit to Odisha.
Shri Buxipatra further said that, the permanent resolution of the Kotia border dispute has been delayed due to the negligence of the Odisha Government. Instead of being resolved, the inter-State border dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh has intensified over the last two-and-a-half years. Under the BJP government, Odisha’s interests have suffered significant setbacks rather than being protected. He pointed out that in matters concerning the Mahanadi, the Chhattisgarh government, and issues such as Polavaram, Kotia and the Vansadhara River, the Centre has allegedly taken positions favouring Andhra Pradesh. While the Andhra Pradesh government continues its efforts to advance its interests, the Odisha Government remains silent. He alleged that the Centre has deliberately refrained from intervening in these matters and has instead acted in favour of Andhra Pradesh. During the elections, the BJP had promised that all such problems would be resolved once it came to power in Odisha. However, these promises have not been fulfilled. The BJP government has remained silent on the inter-State border dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. During the BJD’s tenure, the party fought the Vansadhara River issue in court. However, the Vansadhara Tribunal delivered its verdict in favour of the Andhra Pradesh government, while the Centre remained silent at the time. Similarly, the Centre has remained silent on the Polavaram issue. Now, it is maintaining the same silence on the Kotia border dispute while allegedly acting in favour of Andhra Pradesh. Shri Buxipatra alleged that, for the BJP, the interests of the party have taken precedence over the interests of the State. He stated that the BJP government at the Centre depends on the support of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Chandrababu Naidu. He alleged that if the Centre does not support Andhra Pradesh on the Kotia dispute, there is a possibility that Shri Naidu could withdraw his support, potentially threatening the stability of the BJP government at the Centre. Consequently, he alleged, the BJP government is engaging in political manoeuvring instead of resolving the Kotia issue. The BJD accused the BJP government of placing party interests above Odia Asmita and the protection of Odisha’s land and people.
