Majhi urges Patnaik not to politicise Kotia dispute, reiterates Odisha’s territorial claim

Both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh claim 21 villages under Kotia Gram Panchayat to be under their jurisdiction since 1955.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday urged his predecessor Naveen Patnaik to offer constructive suggestions for resolving the inter-State boundary dispute over the Kotia group of villages, instead of viewing the sensitive issue through a political prism.

In response to Mr. Patnaik’s October 19 letter over the issue, Mr. Majhi said, “The Kotia group of villages has been an integral part of Odisha since the formation of a separate State of Odisha in 1936. The State government remains firmly committed to safeguarding the territorial integrity and legitimate interests of Odisha.”

In his October 19 letter, Mr. Patnaik had flagged the issue of elections announced by Andhra Pradesh in Kotia in Odisha’s Koraput district.

Both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh claim 21 villages under Kotia Gram Panchayat to be under their jurisdiction since 1955.

“Despite Odisha having a so-called ‘double-engine’ government, it is deeply concerning that Andhra Pradesh has proceeded to announce elections in Kotia. What happened to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) assurances that Kotia belongs to Odisha?” the former Chief Minister had said.

Mr. Manji said, “I am constrained to observe that the contents of your letter appear to approach this sensitive issue from a political standpoint rather than advance constructive and legally tenable solutions for its resolution.”

Stating that government consistently upheld the State’s territorial interests through constitutional means, the Chief Minister said, “The State has accorded priority to the development of Kotia and the adjoining areas, with the objective of ensuring inclusive growth, improving the delivery of public services, and enhancing the well-being of the local population.”

He added that Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, who is heading a committee on Kotia, has made several visits to the region to facilitate coordinated action for the holistic development of the area.

In his letter, Mr. Patnaik had also raised questions over the BJP’s political dependence on the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which governs Andhra Pradesh. “What makes this even more troubling is that the TDP is a crucial ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government and is much needed to maintain its majority at the Centre. Is political dependence the reason for the Odisha BJP government’s silence and its willingness to compromise Odisha’s interests and territorial integrity?”

Meanwhile, Mr. Pujari has sought the cooperation of all political parties to protect the State’s territorial integrity.