The resignation of former Biju Janata Dal Rajya Sabha MP and south Odisha strongman N. Bhaskar Rao may have been dismissed by the regional party as having no impact on the organisation. Yet, the exit of Mr. Rao — a senior leader with deep grassroots connect — has already prompted other party leaders to speak out in public.
Mr. Rao, who served in the Rajya Sabha from 2016 to 2022, was a veteran politician who had once worked with late Biju Patnaik, father of former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Widely regarded as a ‘leaders’ leader’ in Rayagada, the stronghold district of south Odisha, the former MP was instrumental in consolidating the BJD’s base in the region.
Along with him, Lal Bihari Himirika — former Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Development Minister and former Deputy Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly — also resigned from the party. Both leaders announced that they would work for the people under the banner of the ‘Biju Swabhiman Manch’, floated by Mr. Rao.
The BJD had earlier witnessed resignations of Rajya Sabha MPs Mamata Mohanta and Sujeet Kumar following the party’s shock defeat in the 2024 elections. However, their exit did not trigger the kind of ripples within the party that Mr. Rao’s resignation has, largely because, unlike him, they lacked strong grassroots connect.
In the wake of the BJD’s decision to abstain from voting in the Vice-Presidential election, former BJD MP and editor of a leading Odia daily, Tathagat Satpathy — who has since quit politics — said on Tuesday (September 9, 2025) that the party could re-emerge with a new name and identity, as the people of Odisha were not prepared to accept the Congress. He remarked that the BJD had already “passed its best.” Echoing the sentiment, former BJD MLA Amar Satpathy said the party’s acceptance among the people was declining by the day.
Political observers noted that the abstention dented the BJD’s image as a strong regional force with an independent voice. While the party justified its stance by citing its policy of maintaining equal distance from both the BJP and the Congress, the decision has nevertheless triggered rumblings among its leaders.
BJD president Naveen Patnaik is currently in New Delhi on a personal visit. In his absence, statements by party leaders have revealed signs of factionalism within the organisation.
The Balasore unit, in particular, appears divided into two camps. Such public expressions of discord were rarely seen when the regional party was in power. Analysts predict that the disintegration of the party may manifest in different forms in coming days.
Published – September 11, 2025 02:33 am IST
