Leadership row rekindles tension within BJD after Dibya Shankar backs Kalikesh

The issue of leadership has once again sparked intense debate within Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Senior leader Dibya Shankar Mishra’s open support for Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo as a potential state-level leader has created ripples inside the party, drawing both backing and strong resistance.

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Dibya Shankar, often referred to as “Captain” within political circles, argued that Kalikesh is fit to take on leadership responsibility based on his capability and competence. He stated that Kalikesh possesses the qualifications and administrative skills required to lead the party in the State, adding that his family has a long political legacy, recalling the role once played by Rajendra Narayan Singh Deo in Odisha politics.

“Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo is a dynamic leader. He does not lack any quality to take leadership in the State politics,” Dibya Shankar had said.

However, the statement has not gone down well with several senior BJD leaders. Veteran MLAs Arun Kumar Sahoo and Ganeswar Behera strongly objected, asserting that all elected representatives in the party are equally capable of providing leadership. They questioned the relevance of succession discussions when party president Naveen Patnaik continues to lead the organisation.

The controversy has further intensified amid speculation over internal group dynamics within the party. The recent appearance of senior leader Ananga Udaya Singh Deo at Naveen Nivas, followed closely by Dibya Shankar’s remarks, has added fuel to political conjecture. Observers are now questioning whether the statement was a personal opinion or part of a calculated move by a particular faction.

Dibya Shankar’s remarks have effectively revived the long-dormant succession debate in BJD, with some political circles also linking it to attempts at countering the rising prominence of Sujata Karthikeyan. As discussions grow louder, the party finds itself once again at the centre of speculation over its future leadership direction.

“BJD has now been divided into several factions, and all that matters is how this (Dibya Shankar’s endorsement) will be accepted by others in the party and what supremo Naveen Patnaik is up to (has in his mind). The person to whom Naveen has been promoting does not have ‘acceptability’. Moreover, a conducive atmosphere does not exist within the party; so that, any one person (alternate leadership) would be acceptable to all others in the BJD,” eminent political analyst Prasanna Mohanty said to OTV.