BJP workers tarnishing CM’s image: BJD MLA

Hatadihi: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Abhimanyu Sethi Wednesday alleged that members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were damaging the image of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi by organising protests targeting the state government, police and administration in the CM’s home district Kendujhar.

Referring to the ongoing ‘Baitarani Banchao Abhiyan’ and a protest march from Anandapur to Bhubaneswar, Sethi said the agitation was not organised by opposition parties but was being led by Jagnya Prasad Sahu, whom he identified as a member of the BJP’s state youth wing. He claimed the protest had provided political ammunition to the opposition.

Sethi said the Kendujhar police and district administration were taking strict action against illegal activities and that the police’s “Operation Baitarani” was progressing successfully. He alleged that the agitation reflected growing dissatisfaction within the BJP at a time when restrictions on sand mining remained in place. The BJD legislator further claimed the protest was aimed at mobilising public opinion against a proposed large steel plant in Patana by alleging that industries would divert water from the Baitarani river. He also alleged that supporters of Raja Chakra, Congress workers, members of the Bhim Army and sand traders had joined the agitation. From a political perspective, Jagnya and his family have a history of supporting candidates outside the BJP. During the last Assembly election, they openly campaigned for independent candidate Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, whose election symbol was an auto-rickshaw.

Earlier, Jagnya’s father, Bhagaban Sahu, had campaigned for the then-Independent Ghasipura MLA Badrinarayan Patra, who contested on the jeep symbol. The statement claims that such actions have long raised questions about the family’s adherence to BJP’s organisational discipline and alleges that the party has struggled to strengthen its position in the Ghasipura Assembly constituency since then.

It further alleges that Jagnya’s recent actions are aimed at attracting public attention, advancing personal political interests and positioning himself for a larger political role by remaining aligned with senior party leadership. According to the statement, Bhagaban Sahu is considered a close loyalist of the state BJP president. It adds that his younger son, Jagnya, is a BJP worker, while his elder son, Bibhu Prasad, is frequently seen accompanying the state BJP president.