The BJD’s support to various Bills in the Parliament led to a flutter in the State Assembly on Wednesday with Congress member Tara Prasad Bahinipati demanding that the Chief Minister clarify if the BJD is part of the NDA Government now and a BJD-BJP alliance Government is running in the State.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Bahinipati said the BJD issued a whip for its MPs to remain present in the Lok Sabha and support the Triple Talaq Bill of the Union Government. The regional party has also supported the BJP Government at the Centre on many other issues.
“While Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik used to say that the BJD is maintaining equidistance from the Congress and the BJP, his party’s supports to the BJP on various issues doesn’t corroborate his stand. Further, the BJP and the BJD were talking against each other before elections. It indicates that the BJD is maintaining a double standard. The Chief Minister should make a clarification in the House if there is a BJD-BJP alliance Government running in the State also,” said Bahnipati.
Reacting to Bahinipati’s contention, Government Chief Whip Pramila Mallick said the BJD is supporting only people-centric Bills. “Where did Congress vote go during the last election held in Patkura and other constituencies? There is no problem in supporting Bills in the interest of people,” added she.
BJD member Amar Prasad Satapathy said the BJD supported the Triple Talaq Bill for women empowerment and that was an issue-based support also. The matter (the BJD’s support to the Bill) should not be politicised, he said.