Bhubaneswar: The Kotia region in Koraput district has once again become a major issue after the Andhra Pradesh government announced panchayat elections October 14, with officials from the newly formed Parvathipuram Manyam district entering the area and initiating steps to conduct the polls, Congress leader Aravinda Das alleged Saturday.
Despite being aware of the developments, the Odisha government has failed to respond with the urgency the situation demands, he alleged.
Addressing a news conference at Congress Bhavan, Das accused the BJP-led “double-engine” government of failing to protect Odisha’s land and people. He said Andhra Pradesh was attempting to encroach on Odisha’s territory,
while the state government, including the Chief Minister and Revenue Minister, had maintained complete silence.
“The silence of the Chief Minister and the Revenue Minister has exposed the government,” Das said, questioning why the Odisha government was afraid of Andhra Pradesh.
He said the government, which came to power invoking Odia pride, had also remained silent on several major issues concerning Odisha, including the Polavaram project, the East Coast Railway and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act.
Das said the Congress had repeatedly sought the state government’s attention to the Kotia dispute and urged the Chief Minister and revenue minister to intervene. However, the government had ignored the concerns despite the party’s appeals, he alleged.