Naveen Patnaik, the President of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), has named Manas Ranjan Mangaraj as the Leader of the BJD in the Rajya Sabha. Additionally, Sulata Deo has been appointed as the Deputy Leader & Chief Whip of the BJD Parliamentary Party in the Upper House. This decision comes after recent biennial elections and the retirement of several senior Members of Parliament.
The BJD, with six members in the Upper House, has requested formal recognition of the newly appointed leaders from the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Mangaraj, a senior BJD leader, was elected to the Rajya Sabha in July 2022 and previously held roles such as Media and Public Relations Advisor to the Government of Odisha.
Dr. Sasmit Patra, who had been the Parliamentary Party leader of the BJD in the Rajya Sabha, resigned from his post, which was accepted by Naveen Patnaik. Allegedly, internal party disagreements led to Patra’s resignation, with some party members expressing dissatisfaction with his leadership. The party faced internal discord after a change in stance during a vote in April 2025, resulting in demands for Patra’s removal.
