Naveen Patnaik Urges BJD MPs to Champion Odisha in Parliament

BJD president Naveen Patnaik instructs party MPs to advocate for Odisha's 4.5 crore citizens in Parliament. He emphasizes fighting for special status for Odisha and addressing issues like unemployment, farmers' distress, and state connectivity. Patnaik receives praise for Odisha's top fiscal management, according to Niti Aayog.

Naveen Patnaik, BJD president, urged his party's lawmakers to become Odisha's voice in Parliament, advocating for the rights of 4.5 crore citizens. This call to action was made during a meeting with BJD MPs ahead of the upcoming budget session.

Patnaik emphasized that securing special category status for Odisha is paramount. He also directed MPs to spotlight concerns such as price inflation, unemployment, farmer distress, and infrastructural challenges concerning national and coastal highways and connectivity in rail and telecom sectors.

Despite setbacks in the last Lok Sabha elections, BJD's seven Rajya Sabha MPs acknowledged Patnaik's leadership, which has resulted in Odisha being recognized for its superior fiscal management by the Niti Aayog report for 2022-23.

(With inputs from agencies.)