Bhubaneswar, March 11 (IANS) Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the state government, alleging that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is engaged in horse-trading ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls.

Speaking to media persons, Patnaik said: “I have requested the state government to take immediate action for lakhs of Odias who are stranded in Middle East countries. But instead of concentrating on that, the BJP in Odisha is focusing on horse-trading in the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections here in the state. As you can see, this is a shocking state of affairs in our state.”

The former Chief Minister made the remarks during his visit to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar to meet a senior BJD leader from his constituency, Krushna Chandra Nayak, Block Chairman of Shergad, who is currently undergoing treatment after a brutal attack allegedly carried out by some BJP cadres at the block office on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, amid heightened political tensions, the opposition BJD on Wednesday issued a three-line whip asking all its MLAs to remain present in Bhubaneswar from March 13 to 16 in view of the Rajya Sabha elections.

“All MLAs of the Biju Janata Dal in the Odisha Legislative Assembly are hereby informed that the voting for the Rajya Sabha Elections 2026 will be held on Monday, March 16, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the premises of the Odisha Legislative Assembly. All Biju Janata Dal MLAs are directed not to leave headquarters and to remain present in Bhubaneswar from March 13 to March 16, 2026, unfailingly,” reads the order issued by BJD chief whip Pramila Mallik.

She further instructed the MLAs that the order should be treated as a three-line whip, requiring strict compliance.

Notably, speculation of horse-trading is rife ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls, with political circles closely watching the possibility of cross-voting and shifting allegiances.

–IANS

gyan/pgh