Internal Rift in Kakatpur BJD – Subrat Assigned Responsibility to Restructure the Organization
Kakatpur, 26/6: The Kakatpur assembly constituency, long considered a stronghold of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Puri district, has been facing internal discord. This infighting led to the loss of key panchayat positions in Astaranga and Kakatpur blocks during the last panchayat elections. Additionally, out of the 14 panchayats under the Gop block of the constituency, rebel BJD candidates were elected in five, forming a parallel leadership.
Fortunately for the party, with the support of these five rebel members, BJD managed to secure the position of Chairman in the Gop Panchayat Samiti. Recognizing similar internal dynamics in three different Panchayat Samitis, BJD’s state organizational secretary Pranab Prakash Das had to camp in Konark ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections. As a result of his intervention, the party regained control in Konark.
However, resolving the ongoing factional conflicts before the upcoming assembly elections has become a major challenge for both the local and state-level BJD leadership. Recently, state organizational secretary Pranab Prakash Das, along with Subrat Chhatoi—head of BJD’s Digital Cell and party observer for Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts—conducted a review meeting involving workers from three blocks and one NAC (Notified Area Council) under the Kakatpur constituency.
During the review, Mr. Das emphasized replicating the inclusive organizational strategies used in Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar to strengthen the BJD structure in Kakatpur. He assigned Subrat Chhatoi the task of organizational restructuring in the constituency. Post-meeting discussions revealed concerns about certain senior, dissatisfied workers being deliberately sidelined from the party.
In light of these developments, Subrat Chhatoi has already begun reviewing the party’s condition starting from Astaranga block. He is actively working to appease disgruntled members and bring back those who had recently left the party.
Chhatoi’s clean image and reconciliatory efforts have been well received by party workers, and political analysts see this as a positive sign for BJD in the constituency.
