Naveen Patnaik questions BJP’s silence over Andhra poll notice in disputed villages

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Andhra Pradesh’s decision to issue a notification for panchayat elections in three disputed villages in Odisha’s Koraput district has drawn criticism from Leader of Opposition and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik. The move by Andhra, led Naveen Patnaik to question the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is in power in Odisha, over its silence on the issue. The villages in question are disputed territory between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, which is being governed by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) alliance.

The decades-old dispute involves both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh claiming their right over 21 of the 28 villages of Kotia gram panchayat. The matter has been pending before the Supreme Court, with a fresh suit filed by Odisha in January 2022 still under consideration.

Odisha’s political row over the disputed Kotia region has intensified after Naveen Patnaik questioned the BJP government’s response to Andhra Pradesh’s decision to announce elections in three villages claimed by Odisha.

In a letter to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday, October 19, Patnaik raised concerns over the notification covering Phagunasineri, Ganjeipadar and Phatusineri in Kotia gram panchayat that comes under Koraput district. He sought to know why the state government had failed to prevent the development despite the BJP’s earlier commitments to protect Odisha’s territorial boundaries.

Patnaik also questioned whether the BJP’s political alliance with TDP was affecting the Odisha government’s handling of the dispute. He recalled that BJP leaders had previously asserted Odisha’s claim over Kotia and used the slogan “Go Back Andhra” to oppose Andhra Pradesh’s presence in the region.

The former chief minister further demanded details about the work of the 16-member high-level Kotia Committee established in 2025, asking what recommendations it had submitted and what steps had been taken to implement them. He maintained that safeguarding Odisha’s territorial integrity had remained a priority during his tenure.

Meanwhile, state minister Suresh Pujari rejected the opposition’s allegations of double standards, asserting that the BJP government would take steps to counter any provocative actions by Andhra Pradesh.

Patnaik pointed out that the BJP had promised before the 2024 Assembly elections that a BJP government in Odisha, working alongside the party-led government at the Union level, would settle the Kotia dispute and protect Odia identity and pride. He argued that Andhra Pradesh’s latest move raised serious questions about the fulfilment of those assurances.