Bhubaneswar, October 23: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday staged a protest in Kotia, opposing Andhra Pradesh’s move to conduct panchayat elections in the disputed border area, as the deadline for filing nominations fell on the day.

A BJD delegation led by Bhrugu Boxipatra and Rabi Nanda, Pradeep Majhi, along with other party leaders from Koraput, visited Kotia to assess the ground situation, interact with residents and protest against the election process initiated by Andhra Pradesh.

The delegation is scheduled to submit a report to BJD president and party supremo Naveen Patnaik following the visit.

​​​​​​​Senior BJD leader Bhrugu Boxipatra alleged that the previous Naveen Patnaik-led government had undertaken several initiatives to promote development in Kotia and ensure better facilities and opportunities for its residents. However, he accused the present BJP-led government in Odisha of failing to take adequate steps for the region’s development.

Reaffirming the party’s stand that Kotia is an inseparable part of Odisha, the BJD vowed to oppose Andhra Pradesh’s move to conduct panchayat elections in the area. The party asserted that it would not allow the polls to take place in the disputed villages.

Boxipatra further claimed that the residents of Kotia remained committed to Odisha and were unwilling to participate in the panchayat elections being conducted by Andhra Pradesh.

The visit comes amid renewed political tensions over the long-standing jurisdictional dispute involving Kotia, a cluster of border villages in Koraput district claimed by both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.