BJD suffers major jolt in Talcher as civic Chairperson, 13 councillors resign; likely to join BJP

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday faced yet another political devastation with the resignation of the sitting Chairperson of the Talcher Municipality, Pabitra Bhutia and 13 councillors, all from the same party.

The development has delivered a major blow to the main opposition party’s organisational base in the industrial town, where the BJD has held municipal control for a decade. All 14 leaders are likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on November 28.

It is worth noting that Bhutia, who has served as municipality chairperson for 10 years, has been credited with strengthening the BJD’s grassroots network in the region. The resigning councillors jointly alleged that Talcher was neglected by the government despite repeated demands, prompting them to quit the party’s primary membership.

Councillors Cite BJP Influence And Local Neglect

The councillors said they had been “heavily inspired” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, adding that the ideological shift has encouraged their move to join the BJP. Councillor Josabanta Mishra said the decision was shaped by both political and developmental considerations.

“We have been heavily inspired by the ideology of PM Narendra Modi and Odisha CM Mohan Majhi. Inspired by their thinking, we have decided to quit the BJD and join the BJP. We are likely to make the switch on November 28,” Mishra stated.

Turbulence Deepens Within BJD After Nuapada Setbacks

The Talcher exit adds to growing unrest inside the BJD following its defeat in the Nuapada Assembly bypoll. The loss has triggered widespread dissatisfaction among leaders and workers, with internal criticism directed at candidate selection, election management and organisational clarity.

Senior leaders such as Prafulla Samal and Cuttack Mayor Subhash Singh have acknowledged that the defeat is a warning signal for the party. Samal said that Naveen Patnaik himself has begun reviewing the reasons behind the setback, emphasising the need to avoid similar mistakes. Singh described the loss as a “big lesson” and underlined the need for a ground-level review.

Political analyst Sandeep Mishra said uncertainty over leadership and organisational cohesion has started weakening the party’s influence.

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Additionally, senior BJD leader Debashish Samantaray resigned from his party post last week, calling his designation “humiliating” and questioning whether long-time loyalists still have meaningful positions in the party. His letter added to the perception of organisational friction, particularly in Cuttack, where internal rivalry has been visible for over two years.

Amid the widening internal crisis, the BJD has not issued an official response either to the Talcher resignations or to the concerns raised by senior leaders across districts.