Biju Janata Dal (BJD) members stage a protest at the speakers’ podium over fertilizer shortage and farmers’ plight, for the third consecutive day of the Monsoon Session of the Odisha Assembly, in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
The Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, Surama Padhi, on Monday (September 22, 2025) rejected the notice for no-confidence motion submitted by the Congress challenging the performance of the Mohan Majhi-led BJP government.
The Speaker ruled that the motion could not be moved as the Congress failed to place it on the day following the filing of the notice. The Congress, however, alleged that the House was not in order and accused the Speaker of deliberately rejecting its notice.
Soon after, Congress members walked out of the House and staged a dharna beneath the statue of Mahatma Gandhi within the Assembly premises. While some leaders described the rejection as the result of an “unholy nexus” between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), others alleged that the government was avoiding debates on critical issues.
Congress Legislature Party leader Ramachandra Kadam said, “The rejection of our notice was deliberate. We will take this issue to the streets and explain it to the public. Today’s demonstration is peaceful, and the next course of action will be decided after detailed discussions with the party leadership.”
Congress MLA Sofia Firdous added, “There was nothing wrong with the no-confidence motion notice. We had filled it strictly in line with the prescribed procedures and formats. If they wanted to reject it intentionally, they could simply do so.”
‘Joint conspiracy’
She further alleged, “There is no mention in the rule book that the notice can be rejected on such grounds. They took three days to figure out a way to dismiss it. Both the BJP and the BJD have jointly conspired to thwart the Congress’s attempt to move the no-confidence motion.”
The Congress had moved the no-confidence motion over issues such as women’s safety, farm crisis amid shortage of fertilizers and unemployment. The Congress had even sought help of BJD in cornering BJP through the motion. The regional party, however, remained non-committal.
Government deputy chief whip and Boudh MLA Saroj Kumar Pradhan urged Congress members to return to the House.
The Mohan Majhi government saw no real threat from the no-confidence motion. In the 147-member House, the Congress has only 14 MLAs and the support of one CPI(M) legislator. The BJD, which had won 51 seats in the last Assembly election, is now reduced to 50 following the death of its Nuapada MLA. The BJP, however, remains comfortably placed with 78 members, backed by three independents.
Published – September 22, 2025 11:44 pm IST
