Lotus blooms in Puri & Jagatsinghpur as BJD loses hold over Biridi and Krushnaprasad blocks

In a significant political development in Odisha, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) suffered a massive setback in Jagatsinghpur and Puri districts as two prominent block-level leaders switched allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Sarojini Tarai, the Block Chairperson of Krushnaprasad, has formally resigned from the BJD and joined the BJP. Similarly, Mamata Patra, the Block Chairperson of Biridi in Jagatsinghpur district, also quit the regional party to embrace the BJP. 

With the induction of these two influential women leaders, the BJP has strengthened its organisational base in both Biridi and Krushnaprasad blocks. The development is being seen as a symbolic boost for the BJP, with the party’s lotus symbol 'blooming' in areas that were previously considered strongholds of the BJD.

Also Read: Hundreds of BJD workers join BJP in Khordha

Political observers believe that the move could have wider implications for local-level politics, especially ahead of upcoming elections, as block chairpersons play a crucial role in grassroots mobilisation and administration.

The BJD, on the other hand, faces the challenge of containing further erosion of its leadership at the block level, even as the BJP continues to make inroads into regions traditionally dominated by the regional party.