In a scathing attack on the BJP-led Odisha government, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has branded the arrest of its senior leader and Ganjam district president, Bikram Panda, in the high-profile Pitabasa Panda murder case as a “sinister political conspiracy” orchestrated to shield ruling party figures and manipulate upcoming elections.
Speaking at a press conference at Sankha Bhawan, BJD leaders accused the police of peddling “hearsay and fiction” without a shred of evidence, vowing to hit the streets in protest against what they called a blatant misuse of state machinery.
The controversy erupted earlier today when Ganjam police detained Bikram Panda, a former BJD MLA, in connection with the murder of BJP leader Pitabasa Panda in Gopalpur, Ganjam district. Pitabasa, a vocal BJP district council member, was gunned down amid escalating tensions over illegal sand mining rackets plaguing the region. BJD spokesperson Pramila Mallik, the party’s opposition chief whip, alleged that the arrest is a desperate bid to divert attention from Minister Bibhuti Jena’s alleged involvement in the sand mafia, which she claimed is the real trigger for the killing.
“Under 16 months of BJP rule, Odisha’s law and order has collapsed, with Ganjam topping the charts in crime,” Mallik thundered. Citing official data, she highlighted 152 cognizable offences registered in the district, including 128 murders, and a shocking 1,823 cases of violence against women. The Gopalpur gang-rape incident, she noted, had drawn global outrage. “Illegal sand smuggling has turned Ganjam into a hotspot for violence, and fingers are pointing straight at Mining and Transport Minister Bibhuti Jena. Pitabasa’s murder stemmed from infighting in the BJP’s sand cartel—yet they’re framing our leader to protect their own.”
Mallik referenced a letter from BJP’s former district council member N. Dumburu Reddy to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, demanding Jena’s ouster and a probe into his role. “This explosive revelation was creating cracks in BJP ranks. To bail out the government, they’ve staged this theatrical arrest of Bikram Panda. Ganjam SP Shravana Vivek’s presser offered zero evidence—just fairy tales. We condemn this injustice and will raise our voice against such vendettas.”
Echoing her sentiments, BJD senior general secretary and spokesperson Bhrugu Baxipatra labelled the arrest “BJP’s classic playbook of targeting opposition voices for political gain.” He dismissed the SP’s claims of a ₹50 lakh “deal” linking Bikram to the plot, pointing out the absence of any money trail or concrete proof. “The SP admits only allegations, no evidence. They even drag in Bikram’s support for Brahmapur MLA K. Anil Kumar’s defamation case—how does paying lawyer fees tie to murder? It’s all smoke and mirrors to frame him ahead of the Nuapada bypoll.”
Baxipatra alleged a deadlier “secondary plot” by police, at BJP’s behest, to implicate Bikram and derail BJD’s campaign. “Ganjam is abuzz with whispers that Pitabasa’s death arose from BJP’s internal sand wars. By jailing Bikram, they’re trying to scare voters in Nuapada.”
Media coordinator Dr. Lenin Mohanty amplified the critique with a damning photo: BJP state president Manmohan Samal seated casually while Police IG Niti Shekhar stands. “This is the BJP’s law enforcement reality—IGs cowering before goons. Police now serve party interests, not justice. Bikram’s arrest is punishment for being a BJD district chief. We’re condemning it fiercely and will take to the streets. The people of Odisha will deliver the ultimate verdict soon.”
The BJD’s fiery response underscores deepening rifts in Odisha’s polarised politics, with the party positioning the arrest as emblematic of BJP’s authoritarian drift. As investigations continue, the case threatens to overshadow the Nuapada by-election, testing the opposition’s mobilisation mettle against the ruling dispensation’s iron grip.
