Bhubaneswar: Former Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik has publicly questioned the State government's silence over Andhra Pradesh's move to hold panchayat elections in three villages of the disputed Kotia Gram Panchayat.
In a letter to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Mr. Patnaik asked why the BJP-led administration appeared to be yielding to political pressure from its central ally, the Telugu Desam Party. He asked directly whether "political dependence" was the reason the government was reluctant to confront Andhra Pradesh's notification.
The Kotia dispute dates back decades. A 1968 Supreme Court ruling asked both States to maintain the status quo over the 28 villages of Kotia Gram Panchayat. Since then the two States have contested ownership of 21 of those villages, a matter the apex court has repeatedly deferred to parliamentary mechanisms. Odisha filed a fresh suit in the Supreme Court in January 2022, which remains pending.
The villages named in Andhra Pradesh's notification are Phagunasineri, Ganjeipadar and Phatusineri, and the election process could alter the administrative alignment of these villages.
State minister Suresh Pujari, who holds revenue and disaster management, said the government was prepared to thwart any "provocative attempts" by the neighbouring State. He said Kotia Gram Panchayat was an integral part of Odisha, that the Revenue Divisional Commissioner of the southern division had been asked to monitor the situation closely, and that the Koraput district collector had been instructed to keep a vigilant watch.
Congress Legislature Party leader and Koraput MLA Rama Chandra Kadam accused the BJP-led government of "double standards", alleging its inaction had allowed Andhra Pradesh to press its claim. Mr. Patnaik's letter has put the boundary dispute back at the centre of Odisha's political agenda.