INDIA bloc announces statewide ‘Odisha Bandh’ on Oct 8 demanding repeal of MMDR Act and resignations of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and Nityananda Gond.
Published: September 29, 2026, 8:18 PM IST
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Odisha Bandh: In a matter of alert for the residents of Odisha, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das on Tuesday announced that the opposition INDIA bloc will observe a statewide ‘Odisha Bandh’ on October 8Addressing media persons, Das outlined a three-point charter of demands driving the general strike, including the complete repeal of the MMDR Amendment Act, 2026The coalition is also seeking the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over electoral roll discrepancies, along with the resignation and arrest of Odisha School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond over alleged administrative lapses.
INDIA bloc plans ‘Odisha Bandh’ on October 8
Speaking to media persons, the OPCC president said, “The political parties of the INDIA bloc are protesting over three demands, including the repeal of the MMDR Amendment Act, the resignation and arrest of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, and Odisha’s education minister Nityananda Gond’s resignation.”
He further said that the INDIA bloc had planned to gherao the Odisha Assembly on TuesdayDas alleged that the state government, fearing the protest, adjourned the session sine die, even though it was scheduled to continue until October 3, a report by PTI agency said.
“So, the agitation will intensify further, and Odisha, from the capital Bhubaneswar to every village, will remain shut down on October 8Thousands of workers of all the INDIA bloc political parties will court arrest,” said the OPCC president.
Meanwhile, the political parties of the INDIA bloc, led by the Odisha Congress, on Tuesday held a massive protest rally, ‘Parivartan Rally’ in Bhubaneswar against the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, the resignation of state School and Mass Education (S&;ME) minister Nityanand Gond over the school textbook error issue and the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) over alleged electoral process irregularities.
The members and leaders of Congress, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) Liberation, Forward Bloc, NCP-Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party and RJD from across the state participated in the Parivartan Rally.
After a huge protest meeting at the Lower PMG, the protestors marched towards the Chief Minister’s residence to stage a gherao to register their protestSenior leaders from Congress and other political parties addressed the workers at the protest meeting.
(With inputs from agencies)
