BJD joins Opposition in walkout during PM Modi's speech

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which supported the BJP on many occassions in Parliament earlier, on Wednesday joined the Opposition as they staged a walkout over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address. However, the BJP found support from the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), which condemned the Opposition for disruptions during PM's speech.

Both YSRCP and the BJD stayed away from any national-level alliance during the recently concluded Lok Sabha election and Assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. While both parties saw a dismal turnout in the general election, they also lost power in their respective states -- YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh and BJD in



Odisha.

On Wednesday, the Opposition MPs raised slogans during PM Modi's speech in Rajya Sabha after the Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge was not allowed to intervene during the address.

BJD leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra led his party colleagues in walking out of the Rajya Sabha, along with the opposition INDIA bloc parties.

"It was just another, same routine reply from the Prime Minister, counting the same achievements of his government. It makes no sense to sit through another deliberation when the aspirations and demands of the people of Odisha find no presence," Patra was quoted as saying by news agency PTI outside Parliament.