Naveen Patnaik Slams Odisha Govt Over Price Rise, Calls It ‘Incompetent

Bhubaneswar: BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday slammed the BJP government in Odisha over rising prices of essential commodities, alleging that farmers, women, the elderly, the poor and the middle class were suffering under its rule. He also expressed concern over the future of Gen Z.

Addressing a gathering during the BJD’s Jan Sampark Padayatra in Bhubaneswar, the Leader of Opposition accused the Mohan Charan Majhi government of prioritising party growth over Odisha’s development.

“When the BJD’s sole agenda was the development of Odisha, the present ‘double-engine’ government’s primary objective is the development of its own party,” Patnaik said, describing the state government as the most incompetent in the country.

He urged party workers to stand with the people and expose the government’s alleged failures.

Patnaik joined the outreach programme for the third time. Launched on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, the padayatra will continue until November 2.

During his October 9 address, Patnaik had criticised the state government over the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, alleging that the BJP government had damaged Odisha’s image built during the BJD’s 24-year tenure from 2000 to 2024.

The BJD has opposed the mining law, claiming it could cost Odisha Rs 1 lakh crore in revenue, and has demanded its repeal.

The party has also raised concerns over alleged errors in school textbooks, the deletion of over 27 lakh eligible voters during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and law-and-order issues, senior vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra said.