BJP Reappoints Manmohan Samal As Its Odisha Unit President
Samal’s continuation at the helm comes at a decisive moment for the Odisha BJP, which under his stewardship delivered a historic mandate in the 2024 general and assembly elections
Bhubaneswar: Veteran leader Manmohan Samal was on Tuesday elected unopposed as the president of the Odisha unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The announcement was made at 11.40 am by central BJP leader Sanjay Jaiswal, who was deputed as the party’s election in-charge for Odisha.
Soon after the declaration, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, his council of ministers, BJP national vice-president Baijayant Jay Panda, party MPs, MLAs, and senior functionaries felicitated Samal at the party headquarters.
The 66-year-old leader — a seasoned organisational strategist and veteran of the Sangh Parivar — returns to the post for a fourth term, reaffirming the central leadership’s confidence in his ability to steer the party in Odisha’s evolving political landscape.
Welcoming Samal’s election, Chief Minister Majhi expressed optimism about the party’s future in the state. “Under Manmohan Samal’s leadership, we will build a new and prosperous Odisha. Many promises in our election manifesto have already been fulfilled — from launching the Subhadra Yojana for women to providing Rs 800 input subsidy per quintal of paddy and attracting Rs 17 lakh crore investment in the past year. The remaining assurances will also be delivered under the guidance of our new state president,” Majhi said.
Addressing party workers and leaders after assuming office, Samal reiterated the BJP’s commitment to the people of Odisha.
“On the eve of the 2024 elections, we promised a host of welfare initiatives aimed at empowering women, farmers, and marginalised sections. With the cooperation of the state government and the BJP-led government at the Centre, we will work to realise these aspirations,” he said.
A Leader at a Defining Moment
Samal’s continuation at the helm comes at a decisive moment for the Odisha BJP, which under his stewardship delivered a historic mandate in the 2024 general and assembly elections. The party ended the Biju Janata Dal’s (BJD) uninterrupted 24-year rule, securing 78 seats in the 147-member state assembly and capturing 20 of the state’s 21 Lok Sabha seats — a feat unprecedented in Odisha’s political history for the BJP.
A native of Bhadrak district in north Odisha, Samal has been an influential figure in state politics for over three decades. Beginning his career in student activism, he was first appointed as state BJP president in 1999 and held the post till 2004. Though he lost the 2000 assembly polls, he was later nominated to the Rajya Sabha and returned to the state assembly in 2004. He also served as Odisha’s revenue and disaster management minister during the BJP-BJD coalition government from 2000 to 2009.
In March 2023, with an eye on the crucial 2024 elections, the BJP central leadership once again entrusted Samal with the state president’s role. His leadership during the intense electoral battle was pivotal in consolidating the party’s support base and positioning the BJP as Odisha’s principal political force.
Key Challenges Ahead
Despite the electoral sweep, Samal’s new term is set against the backdrop of formidable organisational and governance challenges.
A primary task will be to consolidate the BJP’s presence at the grassroots ahead of the 2027 panchayat and urban local body elections. While the BJP triumphed in the assembly and parliamentary polls, the BJD continues to maintain a formidable hold at the local level. In the 2024 assembly elections, the BJD secured over 10 lakh more votes than the BJP. The regional party also controls all 30 district councils under the three-tier panchayati raj system and dominates over 90 percent of the state’s urban local bodies. Bridging this grassroots gap will be a critical political priority for Samal.
Equally pressing is the need to provide robust organisational backing and political counsel to the one-year-old Mohan Charan Majhi-led government — the first BJP government to rule Odisha independently. Except for Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, a ministerial veteran from the 2000-2009 coalition era, the rest of the cabinet comprises first-time ministers, including the Chief Minister himself. Ensuring administrative cohesion, policy consistency, and effective governance through this relatively inexperienced council of ministers will demand tact and decisive leadership from Samal.
Further compounding the situation is the delay in filling key positions in state-run corporations and boards. This has triggered discontent within party ranks, particularly among leaders who contested and lost the recent elections and are awaiting political rehabilitation. The absence of leadership in these institutions has also slowed functional delivery — a concern the party organisation, under Samal’s stewardship, must swiftly address to sustain administrative momentum and preserve political goodwill.
