Bhubaneswar, May 28 (IANS) The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday expressed deep concern over the rising incidents of human-elephant conflict in Odisha, alleging that the present state government has failed to protect elephant corridors, conserve forests, and manage wildlife habitats effectively. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, BJD Senior Vice President Debi Prasad Mishra said incidents of human deaths, crop destruction, and damage to houses caused by elephant attack…
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Bhubaneswar, May 27 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday announced the schedule for the by-elections to fill the vacancy in the Rajya Sabha from Odisha following the resignation of Debashish Samantaray.Samantaray resigned on Monday from the BJD and the Rajya Sabha.According to the schedule announced by the ECI on Wednesday, the notification for the by-election will be issued on June 1. The last date for filing nominations has been fixed as June 8, while the scrutiny of nomi…
New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) Debashish Samantaray, the former Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and Rajya Sabha member, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, at the latter’s headquarters in the national capital.He joined the BJP in the presence of various party leaders, including BJP General Secretary Arun Singh, party chief spokesperson and media in-charge Anil Baluni and other senior leaders.The development comes a day after the BJD stalwart quit Naveen Patnaik-led party and also tender…
Bhubaneswar, May 25 (IANS) Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and the party’s chief whip in the Odisha Assembly, Pramila Mallik, on Monday hit out at veteran leader Debashish Samantaray, saying that his resignation would not impact the party and would instead benefit it. It is worth noting that three-time MLA Samantaray on Monday tendered his resignation from the party in a letter to Naveen Patnaik, the president of BJD, citing continuous sidelining within the party.He also resigned from his …
Bhubaneswar, May 25 (IANS) In a major setback to the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD), senior leader and Rajya Sabha member Debashish Samantaray on Monday tendered his resignation from the primary membership of the party.In a letter addressed to the party president Naveen Patnaik, Samantaray wrote, “I do hereby resign from the primary Membership of BJD today, i.e. 25th May 2026. I shall always be indebted to you for nominating me to Rajya Sabha. I take this opportunity to express my sincere an…
Bhubaneswar, May 19 (IANS) Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Odisha Assembly Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday targeted the state government over the law and order situation following the brutal public assault on a couple in Berhampur.Taking to his X handle, Patnaik alleged that Odisha is witnessing a horrifying state of anarchy, claiming that instead of BJP rule, the state appears to be under ‘goonda raj’ (rule of hooligans).Patnaik termed the brutal public assault o…
Bhubaneswar, May 13 (IANS) Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and former MLA Haji Md. Ayub Khan passed away at his residence at Kantabanji in Odisha’s Balangir district on Wednesday at the age of 78. Sources said that the veteran BJD leader died following a prolonged illness. His death has saddened people across Kantabanji and adjoining regions, where he was respected as an influential political leader.Ayub Khan entered the Odisha Legislative Assembly for the first time in 2004 after winning th…
Bhubaneswar, May 12 (IANS) Odisha Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Chief, Naveen Patnaik, on Tuesday described the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 following reports of a paper leak as a severe blow to the sacred trust students repose in the examination system in the country, calling it a betrayal of lakhs of aspirants. Taking to his official X account, Patnaik said, “When the sanctity of examinations is compromised, it is not just a lapse — it is a betrayal of lakhs of aspirant…
Bhubaneswar, May 11 (IANS) A delegation of the main opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday met R.S. Gopalan, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha, over the alleged illegal issuance of second ballot papers to BJP legislators and submitted a memorandum demanding the cancellation of two votes cast by the said MLAs during the recently held Rajya Sabha polls. The BJD delegation, led by Deputy Leader of the BJD Legislature Party Prasanna Acharya, claimed in the memorandum that second ballot…
Bhubaneswar, May 8 (IANS) Members of the Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) and Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD), the youth and student wings of the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD), on Friday staged a gherao of the Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s residence here, demanding his resignation over the alleged deterioration in the law and order situation in the state. As per the direction of the President of BJD, Naveen Patnaik, the agitation was organised under the leadership of BYJD President Chinm…