Has Congress Launched a No-Confidence Motion Against the BJP-Led Odisha Government?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Congress officially moved a no-confidence motion against the BJP-led government in Odisha.
- The motion was submitted with the support of 15 MLAs.
- Congress aims to engage with BJD for potential support.
- Key issues cited include violence against women and farmer distress.
- The BJP remains confident that the motion will not impact their governance.
Bhubaneswar, Sep 18 (NationPress) The Congress party has officially initiated a no-confidence motion aimed at the BJP-led administration in Odisha.
Congress representatives submitted a formal letter to Speaker Surama Padhy via Assembly Secretary Satyabrata Rout.
In a statement to the press, senior Congress figure Taraprasad Bahinipati remarked, "We have presented a letter, bearing the signatures of 15 MLAs—14 from Congress and one from the Communist Party of India-Marxist—to the Speaker through the Assembly Secretary, seeking to introduce a no-confidence motion against the Odisha government. This motion is presented under the guidance of our Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, Rama Chandra Kadam. We urge the state government to acknowledge our motion and facilitate a discussion on it in the Assembly."
In a related development, Congress CLP leader Rama Chandra Kadam stated that the party intends to engage with the principal opposition party, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), to request their backing for the no-confidence motion.
Kadam further mentioned that previously, Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das had extended support to the BJD if they were to propose a no-confidence motion.
"Our state party president has also encouraged the BJD to back the motion should it be initiated by Congress. Today, we plan to visit their (BJD) office to discuss this matter and seek their support," Kadam added.
BJD's chief whip Pramila Mallik responded by stating that Congress has not engaged in discussions regarding the no-confidence issue with their party.
She indicated that BJD President Naveen Patnaik would form a position on the matter following deliberations.
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Jay Narayan Mishra commented that the no-confidence motion introduced by Congress would not impact the state government.
On Wednesday, Congress declared its intention to introduce a no-confidence motion against the BJP-led government, asserting that the latter has not met the public's expectations and has failed to tackle various critical issues such as violence against women, farmer hardships, and corruption in the education sector.