Bhubaneswar, Aug 2 (PTI) The Congress on Wednesday claimed that it was the only opposition party in Odisha as the BJD has announced its decision to support the bill to replace the Delhi Services Ordinance and oppose the no-confidence motion against the NDA government at the Centre.

Addressing a press conference here, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Sarat Patnaik and other senior leaders came down heavily on the ruling BJD and alleged that the regional party has completely surrendered before the BJP.

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"We have been saying this for a long time and it is proved once again after the BJD announced its support to the BJP-led central government," he said.

Stating that the BJD had dropped the BJP from its coalition in 2009 calling the saffron party "communal," Patnaik said that how come the same party support Narendra Modi and group on all issues? The party has virtually surrendered and the people of Odisha now realise that the BJD and BJP are not different parties.

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"The Congress is the only alternative and opposition party in Odisha after the BJD and BJP have joined hands," the OPCC president claimed, adding that the Congress will go to people and inform them how both the BJD and the BJP are misleading them since decades.

Congress's lone MP from Odisha, Saptagiri Ulaka in a Twitter post said: "Equidistance theory was an eyewash. BJD has always been the B-Team of the BJP. This desperate decision of opposing the Delhi Ordinance Bill and supporting BJP on the No Confidence motion was triggered by fear of CBI/ED and possible action against a particular IAS officer flaunting AIS conduct rule."

OPCC campaign committee chief Bijay Patnaik alleged that the BJD has adopted an "anti-women" policy by opposing the no-confidence motion brought by the opposition. The opposition parties have brought the motion on atrocities on women in Manipur. "By opposing the no-confidence motion, the BJD has stood against the interest of women across the country," Patnaik said.

He said if the Delhi Ordinance Bill is passed in the Parliament, this will lead to a freeze of the power of states and enhance the authority of bureaucrats. "By supporting the Delhi Ordinance Bill, the BJD has made it clear that bureaucrats are real rulers and not the elected people's representatives," Patnaik, a former Odisha Chief Secretary said.

Meanwhile, 17 other non-BJP and non-BJD parties including comprising Congress, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML), Samata Kranti Party, Samajwadi Party, RJD, samrudha Odisha, NCP, FB, Red Star, TMC, AAP, JMM, RPI, CPI(Liberation) and JD (U), in a statement came down heavily on the BJD for supporting the BJP.

They decided to take the matter to the people and inform each and every voter as to how the BJD and the BJP are one and not separate. "The BJD's decision is neither in the interest of Odisha nor for the welfare of women," said Prasad Harichandan, the convener of the 17-party alliance.

Asked to clarify on the relationship between the BJD and the BJP, state BJP president Manmohan Samal said: "Ask BJD why it supported the central government's bill and opposed the no-confidence motion. There is no such pressure from the BJP. They can only say the reason. BJP has been opposing the BJD in Odisha."

Senior BJD leader Prafulla Samal said there should be no doubt over the sincerity of Naveen Patnaik. "He is a saint politician. His decision should be in the interest of Odisha," Samal said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)