BJD Faces Internal Rifts Over Flip-Flop on Waqf (Amendment) Bill

Bhubaneswar: Discontent is brewing within the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) after the party’s inconsistent stand on the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Bill sparked widespread criticism from senior leaders. The Naveen Patnaik-led party initially announced its opposition to the Bill in Rajya Sabha but later allowed its MPs to vote as per their conscience, refraining from issuing an official whip.

As a result, voting on the Bill in the Rajya Sabha reflected the confusion within the party: four BJD MPs voted against it, two supported it, and one abstained. The move has triggered internal dissent, with several veteran leaders questioning the party’s lack of clarity and consistency on such a sensitive matter.

BJD MP Munna Khan had vocally opposed the Bill during the debate, but party’s national spokesperson and floor leader in Rajya Sabha, Sasmit Patra, later stated that MPs were free to vote according to their individual conscience. Patra himself voted in favour of the Bill, further complicating the party’s position.

The ambiguity has sparked unrest among senior BJD leaders. A delegation of party veterans met party president Naveen Patnaik at his residence to voice their concerns. Among them, six-time Ghasipura MLA Badri Narayan Patra hinted at a possible “secret deal” behind the party’s last-minute shift.

Former ministers Sashi Bhusan Behera and Bhupinder Singh also expressed dissatisfaction over the party’s stance. Another former minister, Prafulla Samal, wrote to Patnaik seeking clarification on the circumstances under which the party’s official stance was communicated through social media.

Senior leader Pratap Jena demanded action over Sasmit Patra’s statement, accusing him of sowing confusion and deviating from the party’s earlier position. “We suspect a conspiracy behind this sudden change. The party must probe and take suitable action,” Jena urged in his letter.

Echoing similar concerns, Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray expressed worry that the party’s credibility among minority communities may be eroded. “The grassroots workers are demanding accountability. Who is responsible for this last-minute change?” he questioned in a social media post.

The rift comes at a crucial time as Odisha gears up for the upcoming elections, with BJD trying to balance its traditional support base with emerging political strategies. The internal unrest over the Waqf Bill could signal deeper fissures within the ruling party as it faces both political and public scrutiny.