Bhubaneswar: The annual state-level debate competition organised by Sambad was held at Jayadev Bhawan in Bhubaneswar on Sunday with the topic "Future of regional parties is bright in the current scenario".

A total of 24 contestants, selected from different zones, participated in the debate. Of them, 21 speakers strongly supported the topic, while others argued against it.

Those opposing the topic pointed out that regional parties often risk losing their identity in the shadow of national parties. They argued that prioritising only state interests may come at the cost of national concerns. They also mentioned that past instances showed how national parties, in pursuit of power, compromised with regional outfits, weakening their ideals and reducing their influence.

Sandeep Shekhar Nayak o

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