Odisha: BJP State Unit to Elect New President in January

Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s membership drive and grassroots-level organisational elections in Odisha are nearing completion. The state unit of the BJP will elect its new president in January 2025, announced the party’s state in-charge, Vijay Pal Singh Tomar, on Thursday.

Speaking to the media in Bhubaneswar, Tomar confirmed that the election to select the new state president would be conducted in January.

“Ours is a democratic party, and the president will be elected through democratic means. Even a regular party worker can become president,” he said.

“Organisational elections have already commenced, with Mandal-level elections currently underway. The state president's election will be held in the first week of January,” Tomar added.

Currently, Manmohan Samal serves as the party’s state president. Under his leadership, the BJP formed the government for the first time in Odisha, ending 24 years rule of by Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

When asked whether any BJD leaders were planning to join the BJP, Tomar remarked, “Many BJD MPs and MLAs are in contact with us.”

Following the BJD's defeat in the assembly elections earlier this year, the exodus of leaders from the Naveen Patnaik-led party to the BJP has gained momentum. Two of its nine Rajya Sabha members have already joined the BJP, and speculation is rife that more lawmakers from the regional party are considering switching allegiance to the saffron camp.

In a related development, BJP MLA from Sambalpur, Jayanarayan Mishra, stated, “Our party will welcome BJD MLAs and MPs who wish to join us.”

“Anyone willing to join the BJP is welcome. We also aim to strengthen our presence in the Rajya Sabha. BJP never targets dismantling the BJD. However, as I have mentioned before, a single directive from our party leader Amit Shah would be enough to ensure the conch party's complete wipeout," Mishra added.