Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jul 28:

Two days after Odisha’s ruling party rejected the opposition demand for an all-party meeting over the Mahanadi issue, Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Narasingha Mishra today said that he has written a letter personally asking all parties to meet on August 3 and discuss the issue.

NARASINGHA MISHRA

While BJP has agreed to attend the meeting, ruling Biju Janata Dal said that the national parties must consult their national leadership before calling an all party meeting.

“I decided to call the all-party meeting on August 3 as the Chief Minister declined to arrange it even after my request. This is a crucial issue. All major political parties including BJD, BJP, CPI and CPM have been invited,” said Mishra.

“LoP Mishra has called an all-party meeting to discuss the issue and our roles in it. BJP will attend the meeting and present its side. We will also present our views on how we can come together and put up a fight so that Odisha can get back its rights on Mahanadi,” said BJP MLA Pradip Purohit.

BJD, on the other hand, was skeptical.

“It will be easy for the presidents of the state units of the national parties, if they take up the issue with their national leadership first. Let them discuss it and take a stand on the issue first. That is the only way, their partymen can discuss this issue with us and we can come up with a solution,” said BJD Spokesperson Pratap Deb.

His party, as announced earlier, carried on with its protests at district level. A demonstration was held in front of the office of Subarnapur Collector to highlight the issue today.

“Chhattisgarh Government is violating the federal structure and the Union Government is supporting them. We condemn it,” said Odisha Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare (FS&CW) Minister Sanjay Das Burma speaking to reporters after attending the meeting.