After Prafulla Mallik, Nrusingha Sahu drops bombshell; ‘BJD lost due to VK Pandian’s political entry’

Hours after senior BJD leader Prafulla Mallik raised concerns over the growing influence of VK Pandian in party affairs, another veteran leader Nrusingha Sahu on Friday came up with strong and candid remarks, blaming VK Pandian’s political entry for the party’s electoral setbacks and internal discord.

Speaking to media, Sahu said, “The party has suffered ever since Pandian joined political activities. He was efficient as a bureaucrat, but once he stepped into the political arena, BJD started losing ground. The recent electoral loss is a direct result of the Pandian factor.”

He further stated that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was perceived to be ‘divided between two seats during the last election’, a move that gave the opposition BJP a chance to launch effective misinformation campaigns, which eventually dented public trust in the BJD. 

“People couldn’t digest the ambiguity. That confusion cost us dearly,” said Sahu.

Also Read: Nobody is accepting Pandian factor despite Naveen’s clean chit, says BJD’s Prafulla Mallik

Meeting Outside BJD office

On the topic of internal party meetings held outside Sankha Bhawan, the official BJD headquarters in Bhubaneswar, Sahu defended his actions and those of fellow leaders by saying, “Meetings for tea or discussions do not require Sankha Bhawan as a venue. Even Atanu and Sanjay—senior leaders themselves—have held meetings in hotels. When we gather, it is to discuss the betterment of the party, not to conspire against it. But some people distorted these meetings and misrepresented them to Naveen Babu.”

The senior leader also made a pointed remark about Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra and his role during the Waqf Bill controversy.  He said, “I personally met Naveen Patnaik and told him that what Sasmit did was not right. I have also urged the party president to take appropriate action, and he has assured that the matter will be considered seriously.”

These comments come amidst increasing rumblings within the BJD ranks over the party’s direction, leadership style, and the role of non-elected figures like Pandian in core political decision-making.

While there is no official response from the BJD leadership or Naveen Patnaik regarding Sahu’s statements yet, political observers see this as a clear sign of deepening fissures within BJD.