BJD to raise drought issue in Parliament: Patnaik

With the winter session of Parliament scheduled to begin next week, BJD parliamentary party today resolved to raise the issue of drought condition in Odisha.
"Our MPs will raise many issues related to the state (Odisha) including drought condition here," BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told reporters after the Parliamentary Party meeting.
"Our party is totally secular and against intolerance in any form," he answered to queries on BJD's stand on intolerance.
Stating that BJD would play the role of constructive opposition in Parliament, the party's leader in Lok Sabha Bhartuhari Mahatab said a decision on GST bill would be taken only after going through the details of the Bill.

Senior BJD MP Baijayant Panda said "We will raise the drought issue and demand provision of one per cent interest on crop loans in the dry spell-hit areas in the state. We have been raising the issues related to the state's interest and play the role of a constructive opposition in Parliament."
He said BJD Parliamentary Party discussed many issues including projects related to Railways, GST bill, drought and other issues.
BJD MP Tathagat Satpathy said "We will strongly put forth Odisha's demand in Parliament. They (Centre) will be forced to assist Odisha."
The meeting was attended by 25 MPs - 19 from Lok Sabha, 6 from Rajya Sabha. BJD MP from Mayurbhanj Ramchandra Hansda could not attend the meeting as he was in jail for his alleged link with a ponzi scheme firm.