BJD Faces Steady Erosion at Grassroots as Block Leaders Quit Across Odisha
A new wave of resignations in Bhadrak deepens the crisis for Naveen Patnaik’s party amid growing signals of defections to the BJP.
Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD), led by former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, appears to be steadily losing ground at the grassroots, with panchayat-level representatives continuing to exit the party almost daily. After the recent wave of resignations in Dharmasala (Jajpur), Junagarh (Kalahandi) and Rayagada—where dozens of elected members of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) left the BJD to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—a fresh setback hit the party on Saturday as block chairpersons from Bhadrak district also stepped down despite last-minute attempts by senior leaders to dissuade them.
The development has intensified speculation about their potential entry into the BJP, particularly after Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal offered a clear hint. Samal disclosed that the block chairpersons had met him several days earlier and expressed their desire to quit the BJD. Using a metaphor, he remarked that “rivers ultimately merge with the sea,” adding that the BJP has grown by bringing people together.
He asserted that the BJP does not break other parties but welcomes those who wish to join. “Anyone who can be an asset to the party is being included,” Samal added.
On Saturday, Bant block chairman Manoranjan Ghadei, Bhadrak block chairperson Urmila Nayak, and Bhandaripokhari block chairperson Sumati Sethi resigned from the BJD, each citing personal reasons. Their simultaneous departure from the party’s primary membership has sparked intense political discussion across the district. With Samal’s remarks adding fuel to the speculation, the likelihood of all three leaders joining the saffron party has become a major talking point in Bhadrak’s political circles.
“They had come to meet me and expressed their desire not to remain in the BJD. We are strengthening our organisation by adding people. Anyone who can be an asset to the party is being included,” Samal reiterated.
Political analyst Srirama Dash said the crisis reflects a deeper disconnect within the BJD. According to him, Naveen Patnaik appears increasingly disengaged from grassroots dynamics, leaving local leaders and workers feeling alienated.
“The BJD was formed in 1997 on strong regional sentiment and a commitment to fight corruption and nepotism. But these founding principles have been systematically abandoned by the party leadership,” Dash observed.
“Large-scale corruption, nepotism, and the systematic sidelining of democratically minded leaders have led to the current situation. The party president is neither making a real assessment of the crisis nor taking corrective measures,” he added.