BJD’s Internal War: Opportunism, Loyalty, and the Pandian Factor, From Silence to Suspension: The Fall of Prafulla Kumar Mallik

By Sunil Jena, Editor-in-Chief | The Politics Odia

After a long silence, senior BJD leader Prafulla Kumar Mallik finally broke his silence and raised serious concerns about the party. Mallik openly said that the BJD is not playing the role of a responsible opposition in Odisha. According to him, the party has moved away from its earlier ideology and values. He also mentioned that although certain decisions, like forming a PAC and a Disciplinary Committee, were taken, the party continues to lose its organisational strength.

Soon after his remarks, another senior BJD leader crossed the line of political decency and accused Prafulla Mallik of being the most opportunistic politician of this century. He said that even at 80, Mallik has enjoyed all possible benefits from the BJD. Still, now, after losing power, he is targeting Naveen Patnaik’s advisor V.K. Pandian and trying to spread dissatisfaction inside the party.

This sharp attack came from Pratap Jena, who defended Pandian and criticised Mallik in the media. Many party insiders now describe Pratap Jena as nothing more than a loyalist to Pandian, ignoring the sentiments of veteran leaders. The remarks have created hidden anger within the BJD, where many leaders feel sidelined due to excessive interference by Pandian.

The matter escalated further when, after Mallik’s strong statement against the party, BJD officially suspended him on the grounds of “anti-party activities.” The suspension was announced by Pratap Jena, who is currently in charge of the party headquarters. Interestingly, Mallik claims that he had already resigned from BJD earlier that morning before the suspension order was made public.

In his last statement as a BJD member, Mallik clarified that he was still in the party but was not taking part in any organisational activities. He also warned that if the BJD does not function as a proper opposition, he would distance himself further. Hours later, the suspension order came, marking an official end to his decades-long association with BJD.

This development once again highlights the deep power struggle inside BJD. On one side, veteran leaders are frustrated with the party’s current direction under Pandian’s influence, while on the other side, leaders like Pratap Jena are defending the current structure and attacking fellow seniors.

The big question now is:
Who is truly the opportunist of this century – Prafulla Kumar Mallik for raising his voice after decades of enjoying power, or Pratap Jena for defending Pandian even at the cost of humiliating his own senior colleagues?

Author Profile

Sunil Jena: Sunil Jena is the Editor of The Politics Odia, an independent digital platform that delivers fearless political analysis, ground reports, and investigative stories from Odisha. Known for bold storytelling and grassroots connections, Sunil is shaping a new era of regional journalism.