Naveen reprimands BJD MLA Sanatan

Bhubaneswar: The BJD president, Naveen Patnaik, on Thursday reprimanded a party MLA over his absence in the legislature party meeting held on the eve of Odisha Budget session. The incident took place on the Assembly premises when Patnaik was walking down the corridor. On the way, Patnaik met Champua MLA Sanatan Mahakud and asked him the reason for his absence in Wednesday’s legislature party meeting.

Patnaik’s half-a-minute conversation with Mahakud was captured by television channels, the visuals of which went viral immediately. Patnaik was also heard saying whether Mahakud came to the Assembly to see the BJP Chief Minister.

“Why didn’t you attend the party meeting yesterday?” Patnaik was heard asking in Hindi. Mahakud, in his reply, said, “I wasn’t keeping well.” Not convinced with his reply, Patnaik said, “Have you come today to see the BJP CM?” After Patnaik left the place, Mahakud told reporters that the BJD president enquired about his absence in Wednesday’s BJD MLA meeting held at Sankha Bhawan, the State headquarters of the regional party in Bhubaneswar.

“Naveen Patnaik is the chief of our party. He can surely ask me. He asked me why I did not attend the BJD legislature party meeting yesterday. I did not go to the meeting because I was unwell,” Mahakud said.

Asked about the second question by the BJD president, Mahakud said, “Nothing more than that. You might have heard something else. I am with Biju Janata Dal and I will stay in the party till end of my tenure in 2029. I cannot go to any other party as I was elected on a BJD ticket.”

Later, Mahakud rubbished speculation regarding a change in his political allegiance. “The BJD supremo mentioned nothing about switching sides to the BJP. Mohan Majhi is the CM and therefore I meet him to ensure development in my region. He had visited my constituency Champua. There was a cake cutting ceremony after which he gave me a piece of cake. Please, avoid reading too much into it,” he said.

The incident was a topic of discussion in political circles here, as BJD has already witnessed two of its Rajya Sabha members —Mamata Mohanta and Sujit Kumar—resigning and joining the BJP after the BJD lost the 2024 general elections.

The BJD, which formed the government for five consecutive terms from 2000 to 2024, lost power in the 2024 elections, winning only 51 seats, while BJP candidates won 78. The regional party also lost in all the 21 Lok Sabha seats, while BJP won in 20.