Bhubaneswar, Oct 21: Sambalpur MP and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has called for a united, bipartisan effort to resolve the long-standing Kotia border dispute, stressing that protecting Odisha’s territorial boundaries and identity is a collective responsibility.

In a statement shared on social media, Pradhan said the prolonged border dispute involving Odisha and Andhra Pradesh remains a matter of concern and called for a collective effort, cutting across party lines, to find an amicable solution.

He emphasised that political differences should not stand in the way of safeguarding Odisha’s interests.

Highlighting his personal engagement with the issue, Pradhan said he had visited the Kotia villages in April 2018, February 2019 and April 2023. He noted that the region has continued to face challenges arising from Andhra Pradesh’s intervention and the unresolved boundary dispute.

Pradhan also recalled his efforts to draw the attention of the leadership of both states to the issue.

He said he had written to Naveen Patnaik, who was then the Chief Minister of Odisha on November 18, 2020, and October 31, 2022.

He further stated that he had written to Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, on September 22, 2021, urging steps to address the continuing problems in the region.

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The Kotia region, located in the Koraput district of Odisha along the state’s border with Andhra Pradesh, has remained at the centre of a long-running territorial dispute. The competing claims and administrative interventions in the area have made the issue a sensitive matter for both states.

Pradhan reaffirmed that the struggle to protect Odia identity would continue.