All Is Not Well In BJD: Top Leaders Skip ‘Fertilizer’ Protest
Key Points
BJD protests fertilizer crisis; senior leaders absent.
Top leaders skip rally, hold parallel events.
Bhubaneswar, Sep 15: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) staged a protest in Bhubaneswar on Monday, demanding urgent resolution of the fertilizer shortage affecting farmers across Odisha. However, the party’s high-profile demonstration was marked by the conspicuous absence of several senior leaders, raising questions about internal unity and growing dissent within the organization.
While hundreds of party workers and farmer representatives gathered near Raj Bhavan to voice their concerns, prominent figures such as former Ministers Arun Sahoo, Ranendra Pratap Swain, and former organizational secretary Pranab Prakash Das alias Bobby Das were notably missing.
Adding to the intrigue, senior leader and Athagarh MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain held a parallel event in his constituency, instead of joining the statewide protest.
The absence of these senior leaders, many of whom have recently voiced dissatisfaction with the party’s internal functioning, has fueled speculation about deepening rifts within BJD. Their non-participation in a protest centered around farmers—a sector they once oversaw—has sparked debate over whether personal grievances or strategic distancing are at play.
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Sources close to the party said that recent indirect criticisms aimed at party leadership, including remarks targeting VK Pandian, have added to the tension. Videos and statements from Raja Swain and Arun Sahoo have circulated widely, intensifying discussions about factionalism.
Other notable absentees included senior leaders like Badri Patra, and Bibhuti Balabantray, further reinforcing the perception that “all is not well” within the party. Meanwhile, leaders like Gautam Buddha Das and Ashwini Patra attempted to downplay the issue, attributing absences to personal commitments.
The fertilizer protest, intended to spotlight farmer distress, has inadvertently exposed internal fault lines within BJD. While the party continues to assert its commitment to agrarian issues, the visible cracks in leadership unity may pose challenges in the days ahead.