Bhubaneswar, Mar 8 (PTI) It was a historical blunder for Koshala to become a part of Odisha in 1936 as the region has remained neglected, senior BJP MLA Jayanarayan Mishra said on Saturday.

Addressing a government function in Sambalpur where financial assistance was disbursed under the Subhadra Yojana, Mishra said Odisha was formed with the merger of three regions -- Utkal that comprised the coastal region, Kalinga in the south, and Koshala in the west.

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"The merger of Koshala during the formation of Odisha was a mistake. We have been neglected," said Mishra, the MLA of Sambalpur -- the biggest city in the region.

"People of this region participated in the movement for merger with Odisha. But that was our biggest mistake," he added.

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The opposition BJD was quick to latch on to the opportunity to corner the BJP over Mishra's statement.

Seeking a clarification from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said the BJP MLA's statement was harmful to Odisha's unity.

"This is a manifestation of the BJP's divisive approach," he claimed.

Mohanty said that as the state will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2036, "we cannot let such destructive rhetoric gain ground in our political discourse".

The state BJP was not immediately available for comment.

(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)