‘He’s leaning towards BJP’: On camera, Naveen Patnaik rebukes his party MLA

“Why didn’t you attend the party meeting yesterday?” asked Patnaik. Mahakud replied that he wasn’t keeping well and Balikuda-Ersama MLA Sarada Prasanna Jena backed Mahakud. However, Patnaik was not convinced and said, “He’s leaning towards BJP.”

The conversation between Patnaik and Mahakud was captured on camera as there was a big media presence at the spot.

Mahakud ruled out any change in political allegiance, Patnaik’s reprimand came in the backdrop of Mahakud’s growing bonhomie with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi of the BJP.

Both Majhi and Mahakud belong to the Keonjhar district. Recently, a video had gone viral in which the CM was seen applying cake on Mahakud’s face at a public meeting.

Responding to reporters’ questions, Mahakud said he is with the BJD and would continue to stay in the party until his tenure as MLA ends. “How can I go to any other party before 2029 as I have been elected on a BJD ticket?” asked Mahakud.

On his frequent meetings with the Chief Minister, Mahakud said, “He (Mohan Majhi) is the CM of the whole of Odisha and I have the right to meet him to discuss the development issues of Keonjhar district.”

The Champua MLA also stated that two other BJD MLAs of the district — Badrinarayan Patra and Abhimanyu Sethi — had also met the CM.

Mahakud had previously won as an Independent candidate from the mineral-rich Champua constituency but contested the 2024 election on a BJD ticket and won with a big margin. He is one of the richest MLAs in the state, having declared assets worth Rs 227 crore in the 2024 election affidavit.