BHUBANESWAR: After devastating the TMC and Shiv Sena (UBT), the split storm seems headed east once again, this time towards another regional party, the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD.
The indications over a possible split in the BJD came from none other than the state BJP president Manmohan Samal who claimed that a large number of legislators and leaders of the principal Opposition party in Odisha were keen to jump ship.
Samal said not only the BJD but also leaders from the Congress were in contact with the BJP. While stating that the BJP has kept an open mind on the issue, Samal said the BJP Parliamentary Board would take an appropriate decision after assessing the political situation.
Samal claimed that leaders from the panchayat level to the state leadership were joining the BJP because of their faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He also said that Opposition leaders were uncertain about their future within their respective parties.
“Many leaders of the opposition political parties are in touch with the BJP and we have been inducting those who are found suitable and believe in the core principle of the party,” Samal said.
However, the BJP state chief said there is no direct parallel between Odisha and states such as Maharashtra and West Bengal, where major political realignments weakened established regional parties.
“Political situations differ from state to state and the examples from states such as Maharashtra and West Bengal cannot be directly compared with Odisha,” he said.
His remarks came a day after BJP MP Pradeep Purohit made a similar assertion that a majority of BJD MLAs are in touch with the BJP’s central leadership. According to Purohit, many legislators believe the BJD has little prospect of political revival in the state following its defeat in the 2024 Assembly elections.
“The BJD could face a fate similar to that of the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, where internal rebellions challenged the authority of party leadership despite strong political legacies,” he said.
The claims of Samal and Purohit have generated considerable discussion in Odisha’s political circles, particularly in view of the rural and urban polls early next year.
The BJD, on its part, has been struggling to find its feet after the 2024 poll debacle with internal dissent and desertions hogging it. It has already lost three of its Rajya Sabha MPs and several prominent leaders, even those who have been considered close to Naveen. Meanwhile, the BJD has also expelled two MLAs on charges of anti-party activities, while six others faced action for cross-voting in favour of BJP-backed Independent candidate Dilip Ray in the recent Rajya Sabha election.
As a result, the BJD’s strength in the 147-member Odisha Assembly has reportedly come down to 42 MLAs. The party had earlier lost the Nuapada by-election.
BJD dismisses claims
The BJD dismissed the claims of state BJP president Manmohan Samal and other leaders, terming it an attempt to divert attention from lawlessness prevailing in Odisha.
Party spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said that Odisha is making national headlines for all the wrong reasons. “From recurring incidents of barbaric crimes to school textbooks containing more than 2,000 factual and contextual errors, it is shaming Odias and Odisha across the world,” he said.
He accused the BJP leaders of trying to mislead people and shift focus from the government’s failures. “The BJD is strong and committed to continue its transformative works for the people of the state under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik. Times have changed and leaders are leaving BJP and joining BJD,” he said.
