After a disappointing performance in the recent Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President Naveen Patnaik has announced a major organisational restructuring of the party. This move is aimed at addressing the reasons behind the electoral setbacks and revitalising the party's structure.
As part of this restructuring, several new appointments have been made within the BJD. Fourteen leaders, including Prasanna Acharya, Pramila Mallik, Debi Prasad Mishra, Pratap Keshari Deb, Arun Kumar Sahoo, Captain Dibya Shankar Mishra, Devi Ranjan Tripathy, Shrimayee Sweta Snigdha Mishra, Lekhashree Samantsinghar, Sudam Marndi, Sulata Deo, Ramesh Chandra Majhi, Bhrugu Baxipatra, and Lenin Mohanty, have been appointed as state-level spokespersons.
At the national level, Santrupt Misra, Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, Amar Patnaik, Sasmit Patra, and Pradeep Kumar Majhi have been named as spokespersons for the BJD. Santrupt Misra has also been appointed as the political secretary to Naveen Patnaik.
In addition to these appointments, Pratap Jena has been named the Senior State Media Coordinator, Swayam Prakash as the Social Media Coordinator, and Lenin Mohanty and Priyabrata Majhi as Media Coordinators. Sukant Kumar Panda has been appointed as the Public Relations Officer to the Leader of the Opposition and BJP President Naveen Patnaik.
The party has dissolved its state-level office bearers, with new appointments expected soon. However, district-level BJD office bearers will continue in their positions for the time being.
The recent elections saw a significant setback for the BJD. In the 18th Lok Sabha elections, the party failed to secure any of the 21 seats, while the BJP won 20 seats and the Congress managed to win one seat. In the state assembly elections, the BJD won 51 out of 147 seats, while the BJP secured a majority by winning 78 seats.
This election result marks a significant change in Odisha's political landscape. The BJD, which has ruled the state since 1997, lost to the BJP, ending Naveen Patnaik's 24-year tenure as Chief Minister.
Following the party’s electoral loss, VK Pandian, a former bureaucrat and close aide to the ex-chief minister, has decided to step back from active politics. This move signifies a potential shift in the party's strategy and leadership dynamics as it looks to rebuild and regain its foothold in the state's political arena.
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