By Sunil Jena, Editor-in-Chief | The Politics Odia
Bhubaneswar: In a major political twist, former BJD MLA Bikram Panda has been arrested in connection with the murder of BJP leader and lawyer Pitabas Panda in Berhampur. However, the arrest has triggered a political storm across Odisha, with the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) strongly opposing the move and calling it a politically motivated conspiracy by the ruling BJP government.
Soon after the arrest, BJD workers staged protests outside the SP office in Berhampur and later held a press conference at Sankha Bhawan, accusing the BJP government of using the police to target opposition leaders. Senior BJD leader Chandrashekhar Sahu alleged that Bikram Panda had been falsely implicated in the case as part of a larger political conspiracy, and that the party would fight the matter legally.
According to the BJD, there is no strong evidence against Bikram Panda, and the entire case is being used to defame the party ahead of the Nuapada by-election. The party has announced plans to take the issue to the streets if justice is not served.
Opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallick has gone a step further, accusing the BJP of protecting a powerful minister allegedly linked to the illegal sand trade in Ganjam. She claimed that a former BJP Zilla Parishad member had written to the Chief Minister demanding the immediate suspension of Mining Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, but instead of investigating him, the police arrested Bikram Panda to divert attention from the minister’s alleged role.
BJD leader Bhrugu Buxipatra added that the murder plot was not as big as the cover-up plot created by the BJP to save its own people. He said, “The real accused is being protected, while a new one has been created to mislead the public.”
What makes the issue even more controversial is that BJD Supremo Naveen Patnaik has not expelled Bikram Panda from the party. Instead, he has reportedly been given a clean chit, signalling that the BJD stands firmly behind him.
This move has rattled the BJP government, as it strengthens the BJD’s narrative that the arrest was politically motivated. Meanwhile, public opinion in Odisha seems to be turning sharply against the BJP, with many questioning the credibility and intent of the government’s actions.
The question now is, was Bikram Panda really guilty, or has he become a pawn in a political game before the Nuapada bypoll?
