Odisha Bandh: BJD Makes U-Turn, Says It Will Not Support Shutdown

Bhubaneswar: In a dramatic change of stand, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday said it will not support Thursday’s Odisha bandh, reversing its position within minutes.

Earlier, senior BJD leader and party chief whip Pramila Mallik had said the party would support the bandh called by the Congress-led INDIA bloc and join the protest. However, shortly after leaving Naveen Niwas, Mallik issued another statement clarifying that the BJD would stay away from the shutdown.

“We will not support tomorrow’s bandh. Did those who called the bandh ask us? We have only supported the issue of SIR and Gyanesh Kumar,” Mallik said.

The INDIA bloc has called the statewide bandh over demands including action against and removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) issue and withdrawal of amendments to the MMDR Act.

Earlier, Mallik had said the BJD would back the bandh, citing the party’s support for the INDIA bloc’s protest against Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi.

However, she later made it clear that the BJD is not part of any alliance and maintains equal distance from both the BJP and Congress.

“BJD is not in any front. We believe in the policy of equidistance,” she said.