Regarding the Andhra Pradesh Government’s Move to Conduct Panchayat Elections in Kotia
- Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Was Committed to the Development of Kotia
- Odisha Chief Minister Holds Talks with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister to Resolve the Mahanadi Water Dispute, But Why the Silence on Kotia?
- Why Is the State Government Seeking the Supreme Court’s Intervention on Kotia While Disregarding Its Directions on the MMDR Issue?
Bhubaneswar, 27/10/2026: The failure to resolve the Kotia issue despite the presence of a triple-engine government is a major humiliation for Odisha. At a time when the Andhra Pradesh Government is preparing to conduct Panchayat elections in Kotia within a few days, the silence of the State Government is deeply distressing to the people of Odisha. This clearly indicates that the Odisha Government has surrendered before Andhra Pradesh. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has strongly condemned the helplessness of the double-engine BJP Government on the Kotia issue.
Addressing a press conference organised at Sankha Bhawan today, BJD MLA and Vice-President Dr Arun Kumar Sahoo and former MP, Senior General Secretary and National Spokesperson Shri Pradeep Majhi launched a scathing attack on the BJP Government.
Dr Arun Kumar Sahoo said that despite the presence of a triple-engine government, there has been no permanent resolution of the Kotia border dispute. Over the past two and a half years, instead of being resolved, the Kotia border dispute has become even more complicated. The Andhra Pradesh Government issued a notification on 10 October to conduct Panchayat elections in Kotia, yet the State Government has taken no steps to stop the elections. In this context, former Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik wrote to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on 19 October regarding the protection of Kotia. On 21 October, the Chief Minister directed the Advocate General (AG) to examine the status of the contempt of court case. On 23 October, following the Chief Minister’s direction, another contempt petition was filed in the Supreme Court. Eight days later, today, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has responded to the letter written by former Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik. On the Kotia issue, the government merely constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the Revenue Minister and then remained silent. Kotia has now become an issue concerning the entire state of Odisha. Despite the BJP being in power in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and at the Centre, the State Government’s silence on the Kotia issue is condemnable. Why is the BJP, which made numerous statements on the Kotia issue while in opposition, silent after coming to power? The BJP Government had a golden opportunity to resolve the Kotia issue during its two-and-a-half years in power, but it failed to do so.
The BJP Government, which repeatedly invokes Odia Asmita (Odia pride and identity), has not demonstrated even the slightest sincerity on the Kotia issue. The BJP Government must take strong measures on the Kotia issue and demonstrate its commitment to Odia Asmita. On the Kotia issue, the BJP has placed party interests above the interests of the land and people of Odisha. The BJP Government at the Centre survives with the support of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Chandrababu Naidu. The Central Government is supporting Andhra Pradesh in the Kotia dispute because, if Andhra Pradesh withdraws its support, the BJP Government at the Centre could face the possibility of collapsing. The State Government must demonstrate its commitment to Odia Asmita by taking firm action against the Andhra Pradesh Government on the Kotia border dispute.
Shri Pradeep Majhi said that the BJD has repeatedly visited Kotia and assessed the situation on the ground. Despite numerous shortcomings and administrative deficiencies, the State Government has remained silent. The Andhra Pradesh Government is preparing to conduct Panchayat elections there, with only six days remaining. The Andhra Pradesh Government has completed all the necessary preparatory arrangements for the elections. However, the Odisha Government has not taken any steps so far to stop them. BJP MPs and MLAs have confined themselves to making false statements and have failed to take concrete action. Former Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik was committed to the overall and sustained development of Kotia Gram Panchayat. To resolve the Kotia issue, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy visited Odisha in November 2021 and held discussions with the then Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik. They also discussed the resolution of issues concerning the Neredi Barrage and Polavaram, among others. While former Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik repeatedly held discussions to resolve the Kotia issue, how many times has the present Chief Minister, Mohan Charan Majhi, held discussions with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister? During the BJD Government’s tenure, consistent efforts were made to resolve the Kotia issue. Nearly 95 per cent of the population in Kotia comprises tribal communities. Their economic condition is not strong. It is extremely distressing that people there have not received their pensions for the past four months. The Andhra Pradesh Government has created four Gram Panchayats in Kotia. A polling booth for one Panchayat has been established at Neridivalasa, while polling booths for the other three Panchayats have been set up outside Odisha. While the Andhra Pradesh Government has established polling booths for the elections, what steps has the Odisha Government taken in response? The State Government has failed to stop the Andhra Pradesh Government from setting up a polling booth at Neridivalasa.
The government has not even visited the location to assess the situation. While the BJP Government has become completely inactive on the Kotia issue, the BJD will continue to fight for Kotia. All BJD MPs, MLAs, former MPs, former MLAs, chairpersons and party functionaries will visit Kotia and launch a continuous agitation at Neridivalasa. The BJD will not allow the Andhra Pradesh Government to establish a polling booth there. The BJP Government may remain silent for the sake of its party interests, but the BJD will never remain silent when it comes to protecting the land of Odisha. The BJD will launch a vigorous agitation to safeguard Odisha’s rightful claims. Former Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik had transformed Kotia into a developed Gram Panchayat. He provided special grants and brought about a significant transformation in its overall development. The BJD will never allow the BJP Government’s alleged conspiracy to hand over Kotia to Andhra Pradesh to succeed.
