BJD slams Odisha Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari over 'ideology' remark
Synopsis
Odisha’s political temperature rose sharply on Friday as the BJD fired back at Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari’s claim that the party lacks ideological grounding — citing a survey projecting BJD winning 80+ seats and accusing the BJP of being in ‘panic mode’ after two years of what it called misgovernance.
Key Takeaways
BJD called Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari’s remarks on party ideology ‘highly inappropriate and childish’ on 5 June .
Pujari had claimed the BJD was ‘fast approaching collapse’ with daily defections.
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty alleged BJP misgovernance and corruption over its two-year rule in Odisha .
The row was partly triggered by former BJD Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray joining the BJP and being nominated for a Rajya Sabha by-election.
A reportedly unverified survey cited by the BJD projects it winning more than 80 seats if elections were held today, with the BJP facing a major loss.
The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday, 5 June launched a sharp attack on Odisha Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), calling his remarks on political ideologies “highly inappropriate” and “childish.” The confrontation underscores the deepening political rivalry between the ruling BJP and the BJD in Odisha ahead of a potential electoral cycle.
What Pujari Said
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari claimed the BJD was “fast approaching collapse,” with leaders defecting almost daily. He argued that parties lacking a strong ideological foundation and surviving primarily on the strength of power were unlikely to endure in a democratic system.
BJD's Counterattack
At a press conference, the BJD alleged that Pujari’s remarks were a deliberate attempt to distract from what the party described as “weak leadership, misgovernance, and corruption” within the BJP’s two-year rule in Odisha. BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty stated that public sentiment was now tilting toward the return of former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The Samantaray Factor
The row was triggered in part by the recent defection of former BJD Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray to the BJP, followed by his nomination for the Rajya Sabha by-election. Mohanty acknowledged that any leader has the democratic right to switch parties, but contended that Pujari’s subsequent remarks crossed a line.
Survey Claims and BJP’s 'Panic Mode'
Mohanty cited a recent survey — the source of which was not independently verified — that reportedly projects the BJD winning more than 80 seats if elections were held today, with the BJP facing a “massive defeat.” He argued that this survey had pushed the BJP into “panic mode,” prompting the party to resort to what he called “trivial ideological slogans” and attempts to poach leaders from rival parties.
What This Signals
The exchange reflects a broader pattern of escalating rhetoric between the two parties since the BJP unseated the BJD after Naveen Patnaik’s two-decade dominance in Odisha. Critics argue that both sides are positioning early, with the BJP defending its governance record and the BJD working to project a revival narrative. How these claims hold up against verifiable governance data will likely shape the next electoral contest in the state.
Point of View
It also invites scrutiny of the BJP’s own record in Odisha, which the BJD is now weaponising. The Samantaray defection, rather than silencing the BJD, appears to have given it a fresh grievance narrative. The unverified survey figure of 80+ seats is almost certainly an internal or partisan poll, but its circulation signals that the BJD is actively rebuilding its confidence story. The real question is whether two years of BJP governance in Odisha has produced enough tangible outcomes to blunt that narrative before the next election.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Odisha Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari say about the BJD?
Pujari claimed the BJD was rapidly collapsing, with leaders quitting almost every day, and argued that parties without a strong ideological base and dependent solely on power could not survive long in a democracy. The remarks were made to reporters on Friday, 5 June.
How did the BJD respond to Pujari’s remarks?
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty called the remarks ‘highly inappropriate and childish,’ alleging they were meant to distract from the BJP’s own internal discord, weak leadership, and alleged misgovernance in Odisha over the past two years.
What role did Debashish Samantaray’s defection play in this row?
Former BJD Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray recently joined the BJP and was nominated for a Rajya Sabha by-election. The BJD acknowledged his democratic right to switch parties but said Pujari’s comments in the wake of that move were inappropriate.
What does the survey cited by the BJD claim?
The BJD cited a reportedly recent survey projecting it would win more than 80 seats if elections were held today, with the BJP facing a massive defeat. The survey’s source was not independently verified; the BJD used it to argue the BJP was in ‘panic mode.’
What is the broader political context of this clash in Odisha?
The BJP ended former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s roughly two-decade rule in Odisha at the last election. The BJD has since positioned itself as the opposition, with the party now projecting a revival narrative centred on Patnaik’s potential return to power.
