Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik has written a second letter to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, warning that the situation in the long-disputed Kotia group of villages has further deteriorated amid growing tension and confrontation between officials of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.In the letter dated November 4 (No. 353/LOP), Patnaik referred to his earlier communication of October 19 and the Chief Minister’s reply of October 27. He expressed particular concern that Andhra Pradesh is proceeding with local body elections in Kotia “tomorrow” — November 5 — despite the implications for Odisha’s territorial claims.“It is particularly concerning that Andhra Pradesh is proceeding with its elections in Kotia tomorrow, despite its implications for Odisha,” the letter states. Patnaik urged Majhi to take up the matter with the Union Government and the Government of Andhra Pradesh at the highest level.He noted that both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are governed by parties belonging to the NDA, led by the BJP, and called for urgent steps to protect Odisha’s territorial integrity “as promised in the BJP’s 2024 election manifesto.” The letter further stated that as Chief Minister, Majhi has a “moral responsibility” to ensure the State’s legitimate interests are firmly protected and that the situation on the ground does not escalate further.The Kotia group of villages in Koraput district’s Pottangi area has been claimed by both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh for decades. Odisha maintains the villages have been an integral part of the State since its formation in 1936. A Supreme Court status quo order has been in force since 2006. Andhra Pradesh’s recent notification for MPTC and ZPTC elections covering parts of the disputed area has reignited the row, prompting Odisha to file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court. Reports of police-level confrontations and barricades at the border emerged on November 3.Patnaik’s latest letter continues the political exchange that began after Andhra’s election notification. In his October 19 letter, the BJD president had questioned the BJP government’s response under a “double-engine” government and recalled earlier BJP slogans such as “Go Back Andhra.” In his October 27 reply, Chief Minister Majhi reaffirmed that the Kotia villages form an integral part of Odisha, criticised the approach of viewing the issue purely through a political prism, and invited constructive, legally sustainable suggestions while highlighting development and legal efforts by the State government.The latest communication intensifies the focus on whether the BJP-led government in Odisha will leverage its position within the NDA — where Andhra Pradesh’s ruling Telugu Desam Party is a key ally — to address the border issue. With elections scheduled for November 5 and prohibitory orders already imposed in the 21 villages by the Koraput administration, the coming days are expected to test both administrative coordination and political resolve on the long-pending inter-State dispute.The letter ends with a hope that the BJP leadership will “honour its commitment to the people of Odisha and walk the talk on the Kotia issue, as guaranteed in its 2024 election manifesto.”
Kotia Dispute Heats Up as LoP Naveen Demands Action from CM Majhi
