Not long after a similar episode, senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and former minister Prafulla Kumar Mallik has been suspended from the party for alleged anti-party activities. The announcement, made on Friday by party headquarters in-charge Pratap Jena, underscores widening rifts within the regional heavyweight.

The 78-year-old, a four-time MLA from Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal, faced suspension barely a day after he publicly criticised the BJD’s “helplessness” as the main opposition.

Narrow Defeat in 2024 Sparked Discontent

Mallik, who had served as minister for steel & mines and works, lost his seat in the 2024 Assembly polls to BJP’s Satrughna Jena by a slender margin of just over 4,000 votes. That defeat appears to have deepened his frustrations.

On Thursday, he openly admitted to distancing himself from party duties, accusing the BJD of failing to hold the ruling BJP accountable on issues of public welfare and governance lapses. He warned that he would leave if the party continued to function in an “unsystematic” manner.

By Friday morning, Mallik submitted his resignation personally. Soon after, the party formally declared his suspension. Interestingly, Mallik maintained: “I have not gone against the party,” though the damage was already irreparable.

A String of High-Profile Exits

Mallik’s exit follows closely on the heels of two other senior leaders—former Rajya Sabha MP N. Bhaskar Rao and ex-minister Lal Bihari Himirika—who also walked out of the party this week. All pointed fingers at poor internal management as the reason behind their decisions.

The once-dominant BJD, which enjoyed over two decades of unbroken power under Naveen Patnaik, now appears fragmented in the aftermath of its 2024 defeat.

The Pandian Factor and Internal Resentment

Mallik was among the 12 veteran leaders who, back in April, criticised “outside powers” for undermining Patnaik’s leadership—a veiled reference to V.K. Pandian, Patnaik’s influential aide who recently retired from politics after facing backlash.

He also accused the party of “betrayals,” citing its unexpected support to the BJP-led NDA on issues such as the Waqf Bill in Rajya Sabha. Such moves, Mallik argued, alienated the BJD’s grassroots workers who once formed its backbone.

What Lies Ahead for BJD?

The message is unmissable: dissent within the BJD is steadily simmering. Unless checked, it could spill over, eroding the party’s cadre base even further.

Two possible scenarios now loom large—leaders like Mallik may switch to the BJP, boosting its reach in Odisha, or splinter groups may emerge to challenge the BJD from within.

On a human note, Mallik’s fall from grace is poignant: a founding member and loyal veteran, he now finds himself sidelined in the very party he helped build.

As the principal opposition, the BJD faces a survival test—reinvent itself or risk political irrelevance. And given the current trend, more exits could soon follow.

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