Rift Widens in BJD After Rajya Sabha Vote on Waqf Bill; MP Targets ‘Chief Advisor’ Pandian

Bhubaneswar: A serious rift appears to be widening within the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the principal opposition party in Odisha, after four of the party’s seven Rajya Sabha MPs voted in favour of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 — defying what was earlier understood to be the party’s official position.

On Saturday, senior BJD MP Debashish Samantaray, who abstained from voting in protest against what he described as the party’s “sudden volte-face,” launched a blistering attack on the party’s top leadership — indirectly targeting BJD’s ‘Chief Advisor’ V Karthikeyan Pandian.

While not naming Pandian directly, Samantaray accused an unelected figure of wielding disproportionate influence over party decisions. “Sasmit Patra, who along with other three members for Waqf Bill, is not the villain here. He doesn’t take decisions; he merely follows instructions. The real power lies elsewhere — with the Chief Advisor,” he said in a pointed media address.

Samantaray further revealed that the party president Naveen Patnaik had expressed opposition to the Waqf Bill during internal discussions. “In at least two meetings, Naveen Babu had clearly stated that we should oppose the Waqf Bill. But suddenly, the decision was reversed. Who changed the decision, and why? This is something the Chief Minister himself must reflect upon,” he said.

The MP also sought to defend Sasmit Patra, who had faced criticism for his role in the parliamentary vote. “Sasmit is not the one to blame. He merely acts on instructions that come from above,” Samantaray reiterated, clearly hinting at Pandian.

In what is being viewed as the most explosive allegation, Samantaray claimed there had been a “big deal” between the BJD’s Chief Advisor and the BJP. “Yes, a deal has happened. The Chief Advisor has struck some kind of arrangement with the BJP,” he alleged, without offering specifics.

Hinting at a possible conspiracy, he referenced the recent voluntary retirement (VRS) of a senior bureaucrat — widely believed to be Pandian — as being part of a larger political strategy. “You all know who recently took VRS. I leave it to your understanding,” he said cryptically.

Samantaray’s outburst follows similar statements by Odisha minister Krushna Chandra Patra and Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, both of whom have raised concerns over Pandian’s growing influence in BJD affairs.

The BJD has yet to issue an official response to these serious allegations, but political observers suggest the internal turmoil may now be too significant to ignore. The unfolding dissension threatens to destabilize the regional party ahead of crucial political battles in the state.

Meanwhile, senior BJD leader and former minister Pratap Jena on Saturday wrote to BJD president Naveen Patnaik demanding action against Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra for going against the party line by voting in support of the Waqf Bill in the upper House.

In his letter, Jena alleged that Patra had acted against the party's stance by voting in favour of the Waqf Bill in Parliament.