Argus News - BJD Leader Pratap Jena Reveals Why Party Lost Mahanga Assembly Seat

Cuttack, Nov 30: Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Pratap Jena has publicly acknowledged the reasons behind the party’s defeat in the Mahanga constituency during the 2024 Odisha Assembly elections, saying internal betrayal and misplaced trust cost the party dearly.

Speaking at a workers’ meet, Jena said his “first mistake” was trusting a few people blindly when he was in power.

“These individuals betrayed not just me but the Biju Janata Dal. Just three to four days before the election, they took money and sold themselves. People were angry with them, and that anger reflected in the result,” he told party workers. He added that while some of those involved have already distanced themselves from the party, “a few still remain in disguise.”

In the 2024 polls, the BJD fielded Jena’s son, Ankit Pratap Jena. Ankit lost to Independent candidate Sarada Prasad Pradhan, who secured 88,632 votes against Ankit’s 81,209, winning by a margin of 7,423 votes.

Meanwhile, the BJD faced further setbacks in Bhadrak district on Saturday, where the party suffered a major jolt as three block presidents resigned on the same day. Banta block president Manoranjan Ghadei, Bhadrak block president Urmila Nayak, and Bhandaripokhari block president Sumati Sethi quit the party, each citing “personal reasons” in their resignation letters.

Also Read: Debashish Samantaray Resigns From BJD Post, Highlights Party Discord in Letter to Naveen

The coordinated resignations within hours triggered political buzz across the district. There is growing speculation in political circles that the three leaders may soon join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), though no formal announcement has yet been made.