Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and former minister Prafulla Kumar Mallik, who represented Kamakhyanagar constituency in Dhenkanal, has been suspended from the party with immediate effect for alleged involvement in anti-party activities.
The decision was announced by BJD Vice President Pratap Jena, who cited Mallik’s recent statements and actions as being detrimental to the party’s unity and discipline. This move comes just a day after Mallik publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s functioning, stating, “If the party does not run properly, I will leave it.”
Mallik, a four-time MLA and former cabinet minister, had recently criticized the party’s leadership and hinted at distancing himself from organizational affairs. His remarks were seen as a veiled challenge to the current leadership and a reflection of growing unrest among senior BJD members following the party’s defeat in the 2024 Assembly elections.
Jena, while announcing the suspension, remarked that Mallik’s actions were “opportunistic” and betrayed the trust placed in him by the party and its president, Naveen Patnaik. The suspension underscores the internal rifts within the BJD, which has been grappling with dissent and ideological drift.
