Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal, which once strode Odisha’s political theatre like a colossus for over two decades, now appears to be battling with an unmistakable crisis of confidence.

Ever since losing power to the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2024, the party has quietly but steadily watched several of its prominent faces walk away — leaders whose induction and rise were once projected as symbols of the party’s expanding strength.

The resignation of Debashish Samantaray on Monday is not merely another political exit. It is increasingly being seen as part of a deeper churn inside the BJD - a party struggling to redefine itself after its transition from an all-powerful ruling force to a bruised opposition outfit.

Over the past two years, the BJD has begun to resemble what many insiders describe as a “leaky ship,” with one departure after another exposing growing unease within the organisation.

A Familiar Pattern Emerging

Samantaray’s resignation mirrors the trajectory followed by several other senior leaders and Rajya Sabha members who have found the current internal climate difficult to navigate.

The “Old Guard” Feeling Sidelined

Like Mamata Mahanta and Sujeet Kumar before him, Samantaray belongs to a generation of loyalists. Many among this old guard now feel increasingly marginalized under what they allege as a centralized, technocratic command structure.

For them, the emotional “Biju legacy” that once defined the party’s political culture appears to be giving way to a more bureaucratic style of functioning — one they believe is detached from ground-level sentiment and cadre psychology.

The Persistent “Pandian Factor”

A recurring thread running through almost every major resignation has been the continued influence of V. K. Pandian.

Even after the BJD’s defeat in 2024, several dissenting voices within the party privately maintain that Pandian continues to wield significant influence behind the scenes. For many leaders who expected a course correction and the emergence of collective leadership after the electoral setback, that expectation remains unfulfilled.

The resulting frustration, insiders say, has only deepened the sense of alienation among senior leaders.

Cross-Voting Exposed the Cracks

The simmering internal fissures became visible during the March 2026 Rajya Sabha elections.

The victory of independent candidate Dilip Ray - backed by the BJP - came largely because of cross-voting within the BJD camp. The episode exposed weakening internal discipline and signaled that sections of the party’s rank and file no longer appear fully aligned with the leadership.

For observers, it was perhaps the clearest indication yet that the BJD’s organisational cohesion has begun to erode.

Odisha’s Political Landscape Has Changed

The broader political environment in Odisha has also shifted dramatically since 2024, making the BJD’s challenge even steeper.

BJP’s Strategic Expansion

The BJP has rapidly positioned itself as the natural political destination for disillusioned BJD leaders.

By welcoming experienced BJD faces into its fold, the saffron party is doing more than simply weakening the opposition. It is steadily absorbing the very social networks, local influence, and political machinery that once powered the BJD’s dominance across Odisha.

The Ideological Vacuum

The BJD, once proud of its “Biju legacy” and regional identity politics, now appears caught in an ideological grey zone.

Politcal observers find the party  struggling to present a compelling counter-narrative to the BJP’s aggressive “double-engine government” pitch. More importantly, there remains a perception that the leadership has still not fully acknowledged - or publicly addressed - the deeper reasons behind the 2024 defeat.

That inertia has made it increasingly difficult for the party to retain ambitious or restless leaders.

Growing Demoralization Within the Cadre

For workers on the ground, the continuing cycle of resignations is creating the perception of a party steadily losing momentum.

With panchayat elections approaching in early 2027, the absence of a united and energized opposition is leaving a widening vacuum in Odisha’s political discourse - a space the BJP is currently occupying with little resistance.

The Faces of the “Great Migration”

For a party that once looked electorally invincible in Odisha, the challenge before the BJD is no longer just about winning back power. It is now equally about retaining belief  - within its leaders, cadres, and supporters - that the party still possesses a coherent future.

Also Read: Odisha Politics / The Defensive Batter Bows Out: Why Debashish Samantaray Had to Call It Quits from the BJD| Analysis