Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik was Friday elected the chairperson of BJD’s parliamentary party.
Patnaik held a meeting at his residence with the party’s nine Rajya Sabha MPs, in which he was unanimously elected the chairperson, BJD MP Sasmit Patra said.
As the BJD has no MPs in the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha members will take the responsibility of raising Odisha’s issues in Parliament, he said.
In the meeting, the MPs discussed the strategies to be adopted by them in Parliament during the budget session, which will begin on July 22, he added.
Patnaik, who is also the BJD president, directed the MPs to play the role of a strong opposition and continue to aggressively counter the BJP-led Centre on issues of Odisha’s interest in the Parliament, the party said in a statement.
He also advised the MPs to take up the demand for special category status for Odisha, it added.
Speaking to reporters, BJD MP Sulata Deo said, “We will also raise issues such as the slow progress of national highway projects, negligence towards railway projects, inadequate bank branches in the state, delay in revision of coal royalty, setting up more Kendriya Vidyalayas and Ekalavya Schools.”
She said the BJD will exert pressure on the Centre to implement women’s reservation in Parliament and assemblies.
“Passing the bill will not do, it should be implemented immediately,” she said.
PTI
