BHUBANESWAR: 2025 will remain as a defining year in the political landscape of Odisha. The year saw BJP, which came to power 19 months back and formed the government for the first time in the state on its own under Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, slowly consolidating its position in Odisha. Its main rival BJD, considerably weakened after the party’s debacle in 2024 elections, was seen struggling to stop large-scale desertions to BJP and arrest disintegration in its ranks.
The third major political force in the state, Congress effected restructuring in its organisation following the defeat in 2024 elections by appointing former union minister Bhakta Charan Das as the president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) in February. However, the party was back to its old ways towards the end of the year as dissent against the state leadership raised its head after the Nuapada bypoll in November.
Apart from the BJP’s ascending political fortunes in Odisha, 2025 also increased the clout of Chief Minister Majhi in the party’s organisation and the government after the victory in Nuapada by-election. The chief minister had taken a personal interest in the bypoll which saw the BJP wrest the seat from BJD by a record margin of more than 83,000 votes. The regional outfit witnessed desertion of its potential candidate Jay Dholakia, son of former minister and BJD MLA late Rajendra Dholakia. Jay was announced as the BJP candidate only hours after he quit the regional outfit.
The Nuapada bypoll results also proved that the charisma of BJD president and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik was on the wane after party candidate Hemangini Chhuria was relegated to the third position behind Congress nominee Ghasiram Majhi.
The start of the year was rough for BJD with party chief Naveen facing open challenge against his leadership after the U-turn on the decision to oppose the Waqf Amendment Bill in Rajya Sabha. The last minute change in the decision to oppose the Bill and allowing conscience vote to the MPs triggered a controversy bringing to fore the divisions in the parliamentary party. The BJD also suffered a setback after former Rajya Sabha member and chief of the social media cell Amar Patnaik quit the party and joined BJP. Desertions from the party continued throughout the year at all levels.
Amid the downward trend of the main opposition BJD, several national and internal events organised by the state government further bolstered the image of BJP in Odisha. The Pravasi Odia Divas and Utkarsh Odisha-Make-in-Odisha Conclave in January, both the events attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, created a positive perception about the BJP among people.
Though firmly saddled in office, the chief minister’s inexperience in administrative matters came to the fore on the issue of enhancement of salary of MLAs and ministers. The 3.5 times hike in salary and allowances of the chief minister, ministers and MLAs had to be kept in abeyance because of negative public perception after request by the BJP legislature party.
As the state heads into 2026, political dynamics remain fluid, with both the ruling party and Opposition gearing up for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.