Spadework underway to finalise Odisha BJP's new chief

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha is swiftly advancing in its organisational elections, with preparations underway for the appointment of a new state president, sources said on Sunday.

According to sources, the electoral process in over half of Odisha districts (organisational) has been completed, paving the way for the state president election, which could be declared as soon as next week.

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This development aims to infuse new vigour into the Odisha BJP.

As of now, the appointment of district presidents in 14 districts remains pending, sparking speculation that these will be finalised after the state president election. Thus far, the BJP has concluded elections in 23 out of its 37 organisational districts in the state.

This aligns with the party’s guidelines, which stipulate that over half of the district elections must be finalised before proceeding with the state level leadership election. The move towards electing a new state president is therefore expected to be initiated soon.

Announcement of nomination notifications is anticipated shortly, with Bihar Member of Parliament (MP) Sanjay Jaiswal appointed by the Central BJP as the election officer. He is slated to engage in consultations with the party leaders in Odisha to facilitate the election process.

Among the frontrunners for the position is Manmohan Samal, who is expected to continue in his role. Discussions are going on about other candidates such as former president Samir Mohanty, former Union Minister Bishweswar Tudu and a few others.

In BJP organisational districts such as Khurda, Bhubaneswar, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Subarnapur, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Bhadrak, Rayagada, and Koraput, the election procedures remain incomplete.

Multiple candidates competing for district president roles may be contributing to the delay as elected leaders' participation is inevitable. BJP is reportedly considering concluding these district elections subsequent to the announcement of the state president.

The Central BJP’s decision to advance with the state president election reflects a strategic focus on leadership renewal and localisation.

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The outcome and eventual leadership selection will play a pivotal role in shaping BJP's strategic direction within Odisha, with significant interest in the emerging leadership scene.

“Selecting a president is not being possible in several important districts such as Khurda, Bhadrak, and Sambalpur. There is an apparent tussle between the elected representatives and organisational functionaries,” political analyst Prasanna Mohanty said to OTV.