Odisha: BJD faces growing internal discord over Waqf Act

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is grappling with deepening internal fissures following its controversial reversal on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, with senior leaders now openly voicing discontent over the party's wavering stand and organisational issues.

Veteran leader and eight-time MLA from Athagarh, Ranendra Pratap Swain, has become the latest senior figure to criticize the party's handling of the issue. In a strongly-worded letter to party president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Swain raised concerns about the party’s ideological drift, particularly questioning its commitment to secularism.

“The turmoil surrounding the Waqf Act has sparked serious concerns about the BJD’s ideological clarity, especially in terms of secularism,” Swain wrote. He added that the party's foundational principles of social justice and secularism are being strained amidst internal power struggles.

Swain also took aim at the ongoing organisational elections within the party, calling for fair representation of all communities — including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minorities, and women — across every level of the party structure.

“There is an attempt by certain individuals to monopolise the party’s functioning, skew representation, and undermine regional balance,” Swain warned. “You must intervene to ensure equitable participation and prevent any one group from hijacking the party’s democratic ethos.”

The senior leader reminded Patnaik that Biju Patnaik’s political philosophy was deeply anchored in social justice, secularism, and regional pride — values he believes are now under threat. He urged the party leadership to reclaim this ideological legacy.

“This is a defining moment. We must reassert our identity as a party rooted in the principles of social justice, secularism, and regional dignity,” Swain stressed.

The turmoil began after the BJD initially announced its opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha. However, the party later backtracked when Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra declared that no whip had been issued and that MPs were free to vote based on their conscience. This sudden shift has stirred confusion and unrest among BJD cadres, exacerbating internal divisions.

With prominent voices like Swain joining the chorus of dissent, the BJD leadership now faces increasing pressure to address ideological inconsistencies and restore unity within the party ranks.