In a swift disciplinary action, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has expelled former Cuttack-Choudwar MLA Pravat Ranjan Biswal from the party with immediate effect for indiscipline and anti-party activities.
The expulsion order, issued on February 28, 2026, by the BJD headquarters and signed on behalf of the President by Vice President (Headquarters) Pratap Jena, cites Biswal’s actions as detrimental to party discipline. Biswal, a State Council Member of the BJD, has been a vocal critic of the party’s recent Rajya Sabha candidate selections.
The move comes amid growing internal dissent over the BJD’s announcement of candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. Biswal had openly rebelled against the party’s decision, refusing to accept it and instead publicly demanding that former 5T Secretary V.K. Pandian and his wife Sujata Karthikeyan Pandian be nominated to the Rajya Sabha. He argued that the Pandian couple’s contributions to the party and state were substantial and deserved recognition, while questioning the credentials and contributions of the chosen candidates.
Biswal had reportedly expressed his dissatisfaction directly to party supremo Naveen Patnaik. He warned that if his concerns were not addressed, he would distance himself from the party. In a sharp statement, he also raised questions about alleged financial irregularities, asking who had taken away Rs 4,000 crore from the party and demanding answers.
Tensions escalated when Biswal and his MLA son Souvic Biswal protested at Naveen Niwas against the candidature of senior leader Santrupt Misra. Naveen Patnaik is said to have strongly disapproved of this confrontation. Earlier, during internal discussions on candidate selection, Biswal reportedly clashed with Athagarh MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain, leading to a heated exchange that required intervention by MP Sasmit Patra to calm the situation.
The expulsion underscores the BJD leadership’s intolerance for public dissent at a critical time when the party is navigating post-2024 election challenges and preparing for the Rajya Sabha polls. Political observers see this as an attempt to quell rebellion and project unity ahead of the elections.
