Odisha BJP state president Manmohan Samal. File
| Photo Credit: Biswaranjan Rout
The Bharatiya Janata Party president Manmohan Samal is all set to retain his post as he was the only one to have filed nomination for the top party post on Monday (July 7, 2025).
Mr. Samal, a unanimous choice for the post of State BJP president, filed his nomination in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, the party’s election officer Sanjay Jaiswal, several Members of Parliament and the State Assembly, and senior party leaders. Nominations were also filed for 32 national council members.
A veteran of the Sangh Parivar, Mr. Samal rose through its ranks and had earlier served as BJP’s State president during the party’s coalition government with the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in 2000. He was also the Revenue Minister in the first Naveen Patnaik-led government.
The BJP has planned a grand reception for Mr. Samal when his election to the top party post is formally announced on Tuesday (July 8, 2025).
He assumed leadership of the State BJP in March 2023, at a time when the party had been largely written off as a serious challenger to the ruling BJD ahead of the 2024 elections. Undeterred, Mr. Samal focused on strengthening the party at the grassroots level, ensuring that booth committees across the State were active and manned by committed BJP workers.
This meticulous organizational effort paid off: the BJP ended the BJD’s 24-year unbroken rule in Odisha, forming a government on its own for the first time.
At a critical juncture, when influential sections within both the BJD and BJP were pushing for a pre-poll alliance after a 15-year gap, it was Mr. Samal who firmly opposed any such coalition. His calculated gamble proved pivotal in paving the way for the BJP’s historic solo victory in the State.
Published – July 08, 2025 03:00 am IST
