Naveen Patnaik suspends 2 lawmakers from BJD over anti-party activities

Arvind Sanatan Mahakud, a two-time lawmaker and the state’s richest legislator, was suspended months after Patnaik’s questioned him for missing a legislature party meeting

Published on: Jan 16, 2026, 10:47:42 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Odisha’s Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik on Thursday suspended assembly members Arvind Sanatan Mahakud and Arabinda Mahapatra from the party over alleged anti-party activities.

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik. (X)

Mahakud, a two-time lawmaker and the state’s richest legislator, was suspended months after Patnaik’s in February last year questioned him for missing a legislature party meeting and inquired whether he came to the assembly to meet the chief minister Mohan Majhi. He criticised the previous BJD government at a public meeting in Majhi’s presence.

People aware of the matter said Mahapatra’s suspension was linked to his father Bijay Mahapatra’s meetings with dissident BJD leaders to create a third front by breaking up the party, which lost power in Odisha after 24 years in 2024. They added that the suspensions are a message to other dissident BJD leaders challenging Patnaik’s authority.

BJD leader Dibya Shankar Mishra warned of stern action against anyone involved in anti-party activities. “Whenever the party leader makes a decision, it is based on careful deliberation and solid facts and evidence. This indicates that the suspended leaders were involved in anti-party activities,” said Mishra.

Mahapatra expressed surprise over his suspension, saying he neither made any statement against the party leadership nor put the party in any difficult situation. “I do not know what anti-party activities I have done. I will have to discuss with the party leadership to find out the exact reasons.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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