BJD suspends Jajpur Zilla Parishad President; More leaders quit party amid internal turmoil

Action follows suspension of Zilla Parishad Vice President and two MLAs

Bhubaneswar: Amid signs of internal dissent within the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), party president Naveen Patnaik on Friday suspended Jajpur Zilla Parishad President Nalini Prabha Jena from the party, after action was taken against the district Zilla Parishad Vice President.

In an official release, the BJD said Nalini Prabha Jena has been suspended with immediate effect for her alleged involvement in anti-party activities. The action came after she tendered her resignation from the party’s primary membership, citing “negligence” by the party despite her active participation in organisational programmes.

Earlier in the day, the BJD had suspended Jajpur Zilla Parishad Vice President Ganeswar Baral for alleged anti-party activities.

More resignations in Jajpur

Meanwhile, the crisis in Jajpur district deepened with two more members—Kshetish Kumar Nayak and Khirabdhi Tanaya Mallick—resigning from the BJD on Friday. In his resignation letter, Nayak cited a “lack of interest to work with party workers,” while Mallick resigned citing personal reasons.

Two MLAs suspended on Thursday

On Thursday, the party suspended two sitting MLAs—Sanatan Mahakud and Arvind Mohapatra—on similar charges. Mahakud represents the Champua Assembly constituency, while Mohapatra, a first-time legislator, represents Patkura. He is the son of former minister and senior BJD leader Bijoy Mohapatra.

Reacting to his suspension, Arvind Mohapatra denied the allegations, saying he learned about the decision through the media.

“I am surprised as I have not done anything against the party. I have been working for the welfare of the people of my constituency. I will try to contact the party leadership to discuss the issue,” he said.

His father Bijoy Mohapatra also expressed surprise over the development, stating that, to his knowledge, his son had neither spoken nor acted against the party and had been working for both the people of Patkura and the BJD.

The spate of suspensions and resignations has fuelled speculation of a growing internal rift within the ruling party in Odisha.