In Bhubaneswar, the Opposition BJD in Odisha announced the suspension of three party leaders, including Shreemayee Mishra, who serves as the general secretary for women’s affairs. The other two suspended members are Subas Chandra Sai, the former president of the Kaptipada block, and Pravir Chandra Sai, a past district secretary of Mayurbhanj. This decision was communicated through an official statement by the party led by Naveen Patnaik. Recently, Shreemayee made headlines due to two social media posts that referenced characters from the Mahabharata without directly identifying anyone. These posts were interpreted as criticisms aimed at Patnaik’s leadership and his assistant, V K Pandian, which caused significant unrest within the party.
Hailing from Bolangir district, Shreemayee had previously been close to the BJD’s leadership. She had actively sought a Lok Sabha ticket for the Bhubaneswar constituency in the upcoming 2024 elections, but after being denied, she began to distance herself from the party’s central leadership. Shortly after her suspension, Shreemayee took to social media, asserting, “I have never compromised on my self-esteem and self-pride, nor will I do so in the future. As I have not renewed my membership of the party for the past year, my suspension will amuse many.” She criticized the leadership for being influenced by a non-Odia individual and suggested that the heir to a respected leader was incapable of independent decision-making.
To demonstrate her pride as an Odia woman, she vowed to uphold her dignity. Meanwhile, the BJD shared images of Shreemayee at a party membership drive in Bhubaneswar and released videos of her previously commending Patnaik and Pandian. The BJD had also suspended senior leader Prafulla Mallik on September 12 after he publicly questioned the party’s operations following a defeat in the 2024 elections.