BJD Turmoil Deepens: RS MP Samantaray Backs Shreemayee Mishra
Open dissent against Naveen–Pandian style of functioning exposes widening cracks in the party after loss of power.
Bhubaneswar: In a surprising twist, BJD Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray on Friday came out openly in support of party leader Shreemayee Mishra, whose recent ‘Sanyasi’ remarks have sparked ripples of discontent within Odisha’s political circles.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Samantaray minced no words in defending Mishra, saying her comments reflected the “harsh realities” inside the party. “Shreemayee has spoken the truth. She was mistreated and ignored despite repeated appeals for a ticket to contest elections. Her grievances mirror the growing dissatisfaction many leaders are experiencing within the party,” he said.
The MP went further, hinting at an undemocratic culture festering within the BJD. “Although several MLAs were informed that she would contest, she was sidelined at the last moment. Taking punitive action against her without addressing genuine concerns shows the party’s failure to function democratically. Even senior leaders like Prafulla Mallik have raised valid grievances, which should not be brushed aside,” Samantaray asserted.
Mishra, a prominent woman leader of the party, had first triggered controversy with a cryptic social media post referring to “fake monks,” widely perceived as a veiled attack on V. Karthikeyan Pandian, the powerful former bureaucrat and close aide of ex-Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Earlier, she had indirectly likened Patnaik to Dhritarashtra, further intensifying political debates.
Her remarks—and Samantaray’s open endorsement—come at a time when the BJD is visibly struggling with internal turbulence after losing power in Odisha in 2024 following a long stint of 24 years. Several senior leaders such as Prafulla Mallick, Badrinarayan Patra, Arun Kumar Sahoo, Ashok Chandra Panda and Ranendra Pratap Swain, once fiercely loyal to Naveen Patnaik, are now speaking out against the centralised style of functioning that, they hint, revolved around Pandian’s dominance in decision-making. Many feel sidelined, deprived of opportunities, and ignored in candidate selection, leading to an undercurrent of rebellion within the party.
While the leadership has maintained silence on the latest outburst, political observers believe such open dissent signals a widening rift in the BJD’s once tightly controlled structure. The frustration of senior voices like Samantaray underscores the erosion of discipline and unity in a party that prided itself on loyalty to Naveen Patnaik for over two decades.
As dissensions grow louder, the BJD finds itself at a crossroads—grappling with both the loss of power and the challenge of retaining its flock amid deepening factionalism.
