Internal Rift in BJD Over Party’s Stand on Waqf Amendment Bill

Bhubaneswar, April 5 : The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is witnessing internal dissension following its unexpected stand on the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha, with several senior leaders voicing strong objections against the decision to not oppose the bill, as initially announced.

The discord arose after the party’s Rajya Sabha floor leader and national spokesperson, Dr. Sasmit Patra, voted in favour of the bill and later took to social media to justify his stand. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Patra stated that there was no party whip, and BJD MPs were advised to vote based on their conscience, keeping in mind the principles of justice, harmony, and the rights of all communities.

Senior BJD leader and former minister Pratap Jena has written a letter to party president Naveen Patnaik, expressing his deep disappointment over Patra’s statement and actions. Terming the post “most unfortunate and painful,” Jena has called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the social media post and urged the leadership to issue a show-cause notice to Dr. Patra.

Jena emphasized that the BJD, over the past 24 years, has consistently stood for the social and economic upliftment of minority communities and should not allow any action that might tarnish this legacy.

The party had earlier made its position clear, stating it would oppose the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Upper House. However, the absence of a party whip led to a split in voting among its Rajya Sabha MPs. Of the seven BJD members, four voted against the bill, two—including Patra—supported it, and one MP, Debashis Samantray, abstained.

Adding to the discontent, senior MLA Badri Narayan Patra suspected a secret deal behind the shift in the party’s stand. Two other senior leaders also raised concerns, demanding clarity and urging the party president to intervene decisively.

Party sources confirmed that some senior leaders met Naveen Patnaik on Friday to express their unease regarding the party’s ambiguous approach. They particularly questioned the rationale behind not issuing a whip when the party had publicly committed to opposing the bill.

As the controversy unfolds, all eyes are now on the BJD supremo to address the growing unrest within the party ranks and issue a clarification on its evolving position regarding minority welfare and legislative consistency.