Bhubaneswar, Oct. 7 -- In a dramatic 24-hour political U-turn, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday distanced itself from the Opposition-backed Odisha bandh, a day after sharing the stage with the Congress-led INDIA bloc at a protest in New Delhi demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
The regional party's decision not to support Thursday's 12-hour shutdown has raised fresh questions over its political strategy, particularly after its participation in the Delhi protest had signalled a degree of coordination with the Opposition alliance.
Senior BJD leader Pramila Mallik sought to draw a clear line between the two developments, asserting that the party was not part of any political bloc and remained c...