Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) continues to face a series of political setbacks, with senior leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) just a day after resigning from both the party and the Upper House of Parliament. His formal induction into the BJP took place on May 26 at the party headquarters in New Delhi in the presence of several senior leaders.
With Samantaray’s departure, the number of BJD MPs in the Rajya Sabha has decreased to five, further diminishing the regional party’s influence in Parliament following its crushing defeat in the 2024 general elections.
Welcoming Samantaray into the BJP, senior party general secretary Arun Singh presented him with the party membership certificate and a bouquet. Singh noted that Samantaray was inspired by the leadership, vision, and personality of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which led him to join the BJP.
He described Samantaray as an experienced and seasoned political leader, stating that his entry would further strengthen the party in Odisha. The induction program was attended by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal, state in-charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar, and several other senior party leaders.fter joining the BJP, Samantaray expressed that Prime Minister Modi’s leadership qualities and long-term vision had profoundly influenced him. He committed to actively working to strengthen the BJP’s organizational base in Odisha and expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister, the BJP national leadership, and senior party officials for the opportunity to join the party.
LIVE: Former Rajya Sabha MP Shri Debashish Samantaray joins BJP at party headquarters in New Delhi. #JoinBJP https://t.co/7DXMGvaTU7
— BJP (@BJP4India) May 26, 2026
State BJP president Manmohan Samal remarked that Samantaray joined the BJP due to his belief in the party’s ideology and principles. He emphasized Samantaray’s extensive political career, highlighting that he was one of the founding members of the BJD and had served three terms as an MLA before becoming a Rajya Sabha MP.
Criticizing the BJD, Samal alleged that the regional party had strayed from its original ideals and objectives. He noted that many leaders within the BJD are currently uncertain about their political futures and increasingly feel politically isolated. Several leaders are leaving the party because they feel “suffocated” within the organization. However, he clarified that the decision regarding Samantaray’s potential renomination to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP would rest with the party’s central leadership.
भारतीय जनता पार्टी में शामिल होने के बाद आज ओडिशा के वरिष्ठ नेता एवं पूर्व राज्यसभा सांसद श्री देबाशीष सामंतराय जी से पार्टी मुख्यालय में शिष्टाचार भेंट हुई।
मुझे पूर्ण विश्वास है कि आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के नेतृत्व में ‘विकसित भारत’ के संकल्प को साकार करने… pic.twitter.com/uk2ApDaLpV
— Nitin Nabin (@NitinNabin) May 26, 2026
Following his induction, Samantaray also met with BJP national president Nitin Naveen. The meeting was attended by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram, along with several BJP MPs.
BJD’s Political Decline Deepens
Recent developments have intensified concerns over the declining political fortunes of the BJD, which ruled Odisha continuously for 24 years before losing power in the 2024 Assembly elections. Since this electoral defeat, the party has experienced a steady erosion of support both in Parliament and the State Assembly.
The BJD failed to win a single Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 general elections. Despite this setback, the party retained nine members in the Rajya Sabha at that time. However, this number has gradually declined due to resignations and political defections.
The first major blow came when BJD Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Mohanta resigned from both the Rajya Sabha and the BJD to join the BJP. She was followed by another BJD MP, Sujit Kumar, who also left the party to join the BJP. Their departures reduced the BJD’s strength in the Rajya Sabha from nine to seven.
Subsequently, four Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha fell vacant. Of these, the BJD managed to secure only one seat by sending Santrupt Mishra to the Upper House. Despite a tactical understanding between the BJD and the Indian National Congress, the opposition alliance failed to ensure victory for its joint candidate in the remaining contests.
Currently, the BJD’s Rajya Sabha representation consists of Manas Mangaraj, Sulata Deo, Sasmit Patra, Santrupt Mishra, and Subhasish Khuntia.
Samantaray’s Rajya Sabha term was scheduled to continue until 2030. Following his resignation, a by-election will now be held for the vacant seat. Political observers believe that, following precedents set in earlier cases, the BJP may field Samantaray as its candidate for the bypoll, potentially increasing the BJP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha.
Internal Crisis in the Assembly
The BJD’s troubles extend beyond Parliament. The party is also facing serious internal challenges in the Odisha Assembly.
In the 2024 Assembly elections, the BJD won 52 seats. However, after the death of BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia, his son Jaya Dholakia contested the Nuapada by-election as a BJP candidate. In that bypoll, the BJD was relegated to third place, indicating a significant decline in its support base.
By early 2026, visible cracks had emerged within the BJD legislative party. The situation escalated during the Rajya Sabha elections when several BJD MLAs reportedly cross-voted. In response, the party suspended eight MLAs, reducing its effective strength in the Assembly from 52 to 43.
Following the recent induction of former Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), political speculation in Odisha has intensified. Several BJP leaders have indicated that more exits from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) could occur in the coming days.
According to political circles, one or two MPs from coastal Odisha are reportedly in contact with BJP leadership. Sources suggest that discussions are currently in the final stages, and a major political development could unfold within the next five to seven days.
These developments have shifted political attention toward a crucial question: who will be the next prominent leader to leave the BJD after Debashish Samantaray?
BJP Leaders Hint at More Entrants
Speaking on the issue, Jajpur MP Rabindra Behera stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the BJP’s vision for a “Viksit Bharat” are attracting leaders from various political backgrounds.
“Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many people are expressing interest in joining the BJP to contribute to the vision of a developed India,” Behera said.
He further alleged that the BJD is facing increasing internal challenges, including concerns about a lack of internal democracy and insufficient respect for senior political leaders within the party.
“As a result, several BJD leaders are becoming dissatisfied and are joining the BJP one after another. Some Rajya Sabha leaders are also in contact with the BJP,” he claimed.
Behera asserted that the leaders shifting to the BJP are motivated not by personal interests or political gain, but by ideological conviction and nationalism.
“These leaders are not changing parties for personal benefits. They are inspired by a broader national vision and a sense of patriotism,” he said, adding that the BJP continues to gain support due to Prime Minister Modi’s leadership and governance model.
Grassroots Exodus Deepens BJD’s Organisational Crisis
In addition to defections at the legislative level, the BJD is also experiencing large-scale desertions at the grassroots level. The growing interaction and coordination among several veteran leaders outside the party have further heightened anxiety within the organization.
Political analysts believe that with the Panchayat elections approaching, Odisha could witness more political realignments in the coming months, with several more BJD leaders likely to switch sides.
