Two years after losing power in Odisha, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has launched a series of statewide agitations against the BJP government over farmers’ distress that played a key role in the BJP’s rise to power in the state.
Odisha, a predominantly agrarian state where over 80% of the population depends on agriculture for livelihood, has seen BJD-led protests since February 2 and is set to culminate with a massive rally in Bhubaneswar on February 24.
On Monday, BJD president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi alleging widespread harassment of farmers at mandis and failure to honour electoral promises related to paddy procurement.
“During the 2024 elections, as per point 2 of your party’s manifesto, you made solemn commitments to farmers regarding enhanced minimum support price (MSP) and stopping katni-chhatni (illegal deductions during procurement). However, the ground reality across mandis tells a story of betrayal,” Patnaik wrote.
While in Opposition, the BJP had aggressively targeted the Patnaik government over farmers’ distress, with its promise of an MSP of Rs 3,100 per quintal for paddy — Rs 800 above the Centre-fixed price — gaining traction among farmers. Along with cash assistance to women under the Subhadra scheme, the promise of a bonus to farmers was widely seen as a key factor in the BJP’s victory.
Soon after assuming office, the BJP government approved both schemes. For the 2024-25 Kharif season, with the Centre fixing MSP at Rs 2,300 per quintal, the state announced an additional subsidy of Rs 800.
However, Patnaik has accused the government of backtracking by capping the subsidy at 150 quintals per farmer. “This ceiling penalises productive farmers and contradicts the Sankalpa Patra (manifesto), which did not specify such restrictive limits,” he said.
The BJD also alleged rampant illegal deductions at mandis, harassment of farmers and delays in procurement leading to distress sales.
Citing “massive mismanagement”, BJD leader Sanjay Das Burma claimed procurement has come to a standstill midway. “Against a Kharif procurement target of 73 lakh metric tonnes, only 41.96 lakh metric tonnes or 57% has been achieved so far. Of the 19.66 lakh registered farmers, only 9.65 lakh, or 49%, have been able to sell their paddy,” he said.
The state’s Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department, however, disputed the figures, saying 11.38 lakh farmers have sold 49.18 lakh metric tonnes of paddy so far. “As Kharif procurement will continue till March, the target will be achieved without any hassle,” said an official.
Under the 2025-26 procurement policy, the government has set a target of procuring 93 lakh metric tonnes of paddy — 73 lakh during Kharif and 20 lakh during the Rabi season.
The BJD’s agitation is part of its attempt to revive organisationally in time for the rural local body polls that are expected to be held in January-February next year. “As the issue concerns over 80% of the population, especially in rural areas, we will reach out to people to expose the government’s failure,” a BJD leader said.
The party has begun its agitation from western Odisha, an agriculturally rich region that is also considered a BJP stronghold.
What do farmer organisations say?
Farmers’ organisations have also taken to the streets. The Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS) observed a state-wide bandh on January 28, protesting alleged mismanagement in the procurement system.
Farmer leader Lingaraj from western Odisha said delays in issuing tokens to farmers forced many into distress sales. “The government appears more focused on reducing the number of farmers eligible for procurement rather than streamlining the system,” he said, pointing out that illegal deductions persist due to the dominance of millers.
Rejecting the allegations, BJP state president Manmohan Samal said the government had taken steps to streamline procurement. “The BJD, which could not give even Rs 100 per quintal as a bonus during its rule, cannot tolerate our government giving Rs 800 per quintal as input subsidy. The Opposition is trying to create confusion,” he said.