Bhubaneswar, Dec 27: The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha is grappling with an intense succession battle after its defeat in the 2024 Assembly elections and the recently concluded Nuapada Assembly by-poll. With party president Naveen Patnaik advancing in age, two camps have emerged — one led by Pranab Prakash Das, popularly known as Bobby Das, and the other by former bureaucrat VK Pandian. Once close allies, the duo are now rivals, sparking speculation over who will inherit the party’s leadership mantle

Growing Factionalism

The internal contest has split the party into three camps — one led by Pandian, another by Bobby, and a third comprising senior leaders and founding members. Discussions within the party suggest that the leadership struggle could fragment the organisation, though senior leaders insist that such talk is mere speculation.

Leaders Speak Out

Senior BJD leader Badri Narayan Patra, openly criticised rival factions, while Rajya Sabha MP Munna Khan advanced his own theories about succession. Senior leader Prabhat Biswal expressed strong support for Pandian, adding fuel to the debate. The absence of firm control from the party supremo has allowed factional statements to grow sharper.

BJD Vice-President Devi Mishra, however, dismissed the rumours, stating that once party supremo Naveen Patnaik clarified his position, there was no room for further confusion.

Camps and Alignments

According to sources, the Pandian camp includes leaders such as Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Pratap Jena, Prabhat Biswal, Santrupta Mishra, Snehangini Chhuria, and Chinmay Sahu. The Bobby camp is backed by Pranab Balabantray, Pushpendra Singh Deo, Chandra Sarathi Behera, Sambit Routray, Latika Pradhan, Rudra Pratap Maharathy, and Vishnuvatt Routray, sources said.

Reportedly, a third camp led by senior figures like Ananga Uday Singh Deo, Prasanna Acharya, Debashish Samantaray, Ranendra Pratap Swain, Arun Sahu, Badri Patra, and Prafulla Samal is also active, adding complexity to the succession debate.

The Big Question

The central question remains: who will succeed in leading the BJD forward? Will the party split under the weight of factional rivalry, or will supremo Naveen Patnaik play a surprise card to unify the organisation, as he has done in the past?