Who is attempting to hijack BJD? Party MLA’s letter to Naveen Patnaik sparks speculation

A political storm seems to be brewing within the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) after senior party leader and MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain addressed a strongly worded letter to the party president and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. 

In the letter, MLA Swain reportedly raised serious concerns over the functioning of the party's organisational structure and demanded the party chief not to let a few individuals ‘hijack’ the BJD and distort the social fabric or deepen regional imbalance.

The letter, which has gone viral and stirred debates within the political corridors of Odisha, questions the internal functioning and inclusiveness of the party. Swain, a seasoned leader and long-time loyalist of BJD, alleged that some people are being given undue influence and opportunities to hijack the party's organisational setup.

In his letter, he urged Naveen Patnaik to ensure that such practices are immediately curtailed to protect the democratic values of the party.

Demand For Structural Reforms

Swain also made a strong pitch for structural reforms within the BJD, proposing a protective reservation system that gives appropriate representation to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), minorities, and women in the party’s state, district, and block-level committees. He emphasized that representation should be ensured in proportion to the population of these groups.

Apart from internal party matters, the letter also addresses the Waqf Bill controversy, which has recently become a sensitive issue in Odisha’s political landscape. Swain cautioned that the bill has raised questions on India’s secular framework, and suggested that the party must take a clear stand to uphold secularism and social justice, the core values on which BJD was founded.

Responding to the controversy, BJD Coordination Committee Chairman Debi Prasad Mishra acknowledged the concerns raised by Ranendra Pratap Swain and remarked, “He is a senior leader. Only someone who has deeply contributed to the party can raise such critical points. Raja Swain is a senior leader, he can tell about that hijack part if he knows anything about it.”

Mishra’s response hints at the importance of Swain’s feedback while maintaining that the party leadership will handle the matter with seriousness.