Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: The BJD MPs walked out of the Rajya Sabha protesting 'negligence' for Odisha while Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was presenting the Union Budget 2024 in Parliament today.

All the BJD MPs walked out of the upper house strongly protesting the continued neglect of Odisha in the Union Budget, BJD MP Sasmit Patra wrote on the X.

The BJD MPs walked out for denial of Special Category status to Odisha.

Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar had been demanding for Special Category. While Andhra and Bihar received Special additional funds, Odisha's demand was not considered, Patra alleged.

"Probably this is the punishment meted out to Odisha for electing 20 Lok Sabha BJP MPs out of 21 MPs from Odisha and the reward to the BJP allies from Bihar and Andhra Pradesh," the Rajya Sabha member from Odisha said.