Bhubaneswar, Oct. 6 (UDN): Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MPs Manas Mangaraj and Sulata Deo joined an Opposition protest march towards the Election Commission of India in New Delhi on Tuesday, even as the Odisha-based regional party reiterated that it remains equidistant from both the INDIA bloc and the NDA.
The march, involving Opposition MPs, was organised to raise concerns over alleged irregularities in the electoral process, including the issue of “vote chori” and delimitation. The protesters marched from the Parliament complex towards the Election Commission but were stopped by police near Parliament Street.
Following the stoppage, several MPs staged a dharna and demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Some Opposition leaders were subsequently detained and taken away in buses.
BJD Maintains Equidistance
The participation of the two BJD MPs came despite the party not being a constituent of the INDIA bloc.
Sulata Deo said the BJD had joined the protest on the issue but had not changed its independent political position.
She reiterated that BJD president and Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly, Naveen Patnaik, had made the party’s position clear that it would maintain equal distance from both major political alliances.
“We are joining the protest, but BJD is neither with the INDIA alliance nor the NDA. We are a responsible regional political party,” Deo said.
Congress Acknowledges BJD Participation
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh also acknowledged the participation of BJD MPs in the protest march.
In a post on X, Ramesh said the march was stopped near the Akashvani building, close to Nirvachan Sadan, and comprised MPs from the INDIA bloc, with BJD MPs also taking part.
He said Opposition parties would continue to maintain solidarity over issues such as electoral rolls and delimitation, while launching a sharp political attack on the BJP-led government.
The BJD’s participation in the protest has drawn attention in political circles, given its stated policy of maintaining equidistance from both the INDIA bloc and the NDA.
For the BJD, however, the participation appears to have been issue-based, without indicating any formal alignment with the Opposition alliance.