BJD Appoints New Spokespersons and Restructures After Election Defeat

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has made significant changes by appointing new spokespersons at both state and national levels. Fourteen leaders, including Prasanna Acharya, Pramila Mallick, and Debi Mishra, have been named state-level spokespersons. Santrupt Misra and Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo have been appointed as national spokespersons.

Santrupt Misra has also been appointed as the political secretary to Naveen Patnaik. The party has dissolved its state-level office bearers as part of this restructuring.

Santrupt Misra explained, “This is not unusual. Every organization goes through a renewal from time to time. In the past as well, BJD post-elections has tried to recast its organization and structure. Post-2024 elections, similar efforts have been made to make sure that the newly formed structure takes the party forward and prepares the party to play the role of effective opposition and reflect the aspirations of the Odia people.”

He also expressed gratitude to Naveen Patnaik, stating, “I thank Naveen Patnaik. This role assigned to me according to my understanding has been created for the first time. Like every role, this will also evolve.”

Earlier, following the defeat in the recent Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, BJD President Naveen Patnaik ordered the restructuring of the party. In the 18th Lok Sabha elections, the BJD failed to secure any of the 21 seats, while the BJP won 20 seats and Congress won one seat. In the state assembly elections, the BJD won 51 out of 147 seats, while the BJP secured a majority with 78 seats.

The Biju Janata Dal, which has ruled Odisha since 1997, lost to the BJP, ending Naveen Patnaik’s 24-year tenure as Chief Minister. VK Pandian, a former bureaucrat and close aide to the ex-chief minister, has stepped back from active politics after the party’s electoral loss.