Archive · 10 Oct 2026
Naveen Patnaik Calls Odisha BJP Government Incompetent
Naveen Patnaik leads the Biju Janata Dal, or BJD, in Odisha.
He criticised the state’s BJP-led government and called it incompetent.
He said the government had damaged Odisha’s image in just two-and-a-half years.
Patnaik also said Odisha had been a model for development when the BJD governed for 24 years.
These are his claims, and the reports do not provide a response from the BJP.
He spoke at a BJD march in Bhubaneswar North and asked party workers to share his criticism with people.
The month-long outreach campaign began on October 2 and is planned to end on November 2.
BJD leaders also raised concerns about mining rules, voter lists, school textbooks and public safety.
Reports differ on whether the mining law was discussed at this particular event; one says Patnaik did not raise it in his speech.
BJD president Naveen Patnaik called Odisha’s BJP-led government “incompetent” and alleged it had tarnished the state’s image in two-and-a-half years.
He said Odisha had become a model for development during the BJD’s 24 years in power, from 2000 to 2024.
Speaking at the Jana Sampark Padyatra in Bhubaneswar North, Patnaik urged party workers to take his criticism of the government to households.
The BJD outreach campaign began on October 2 and is scheduled to run until November 2; the event also marked Gopabandhu Das’s birth anniversary.
BJD leaders raised concerns including mining legislation, electoral-roll revisions, alleged textbook errors and law and order; one report said the BJP had not responded.
- Who
- Naveen Patnaik and other BJD leaders and workers; the BJP-led Odisha government was the subject of the criticism.
- What
- Patnaik criticised the state government, called it incompetent and urged BJD workers to publicise what he described as its failures.
- When
- Friday; the Jana Sampark Padyatra began on October 2 and is scheduled to continue until November 2.
- Where
- Bhubaneswar North Assembly constituency, Odisha.
- Why
- The BJD described the yatra as public outreach and organisational work; Patnaik said workers should raise awareness about the government’s alleged failures.
BJD’s allegations
BJP government’s response
Government performance and Odisha’s image
BJD’s allegations
Patnaik called the government incompetent and alleged it had tarnished Odisha’s image; he said the state had been a model for development under the BJD.
BJP government’s response
The reports provide no response from the BJP government to these allegations.
Mining legislation and revenue
BJD’s allegations
BJD leaders opposed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, claiming it could cost Odisha about ₹1 lakh crore in revenue and affect the state’s rights.
BJP government’s response
The reports do not include a government response to the BJD’s claims. One report said Patnaik did not raise the mining law in his speech at this event.
Other governance concerns
BJD’s allegations
BJD leaders raised alleged textbook errors, voter deletions during electoral-roll revision, law-and-order concerns and stalled development projects.
BJP government’s response
The reports do not provide a BJP response to these criticisms.
- Speaker
- Naveen Patnaik, BJD president and Leader of the Opposition in the Odisha Assembly
- Government criticised
- BJP-led Odisha state government
- Event
- BJD Jana Sampark Padyatra
- Location
- Bhubaneswar North Assembly constituency
- Campaign dates
- October 2 to November 2
- BJD tenure cited
- 2000–2024, described by Patnaik as 24 years
- Issues raised by BJD leaders
- Mining legislation, electoral-roll revisions, alleged school textbook errors, law and order, and women’s safety
- BJP response
- One report said no comment had been received from the BJP by publication time
