The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) suffered a major setback in Odisha politics as two sons of senior leader Prafulla Samal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In a significant development, Prayaskanti Samal and Pranitkanti Samal formally joined the BJP in the presence of state president Manmohan Samal.
The political shift did not stop there. Alongside the Samal brothers, 30 sarpanchs and 35 samiti members also joined the BJP, strengthening the party’s grassroots presence. The event marked a symbolic blow to the BJD, which has long relied on its rural network for electoral strength.
Party leaders described the induction as a turning point ahead of upcoming political battles. The BJP leadership welcomed the new members, emphasising that their entry would energise the organisation and expand its influence in key districts.
