Candidates of the Naveen Patnaik-led party have won in 105 assembly seats, while the Congress has won 16 seats (11 in the previous assembly), and the Bharatiya Janata party 10 seats.
Opposition parties in Odisha, including the BJD and Congress, have criticised the ruling BJP for failing to maintain law and order after a violent attack in Puri district. The incident, captured in a viral video, has sparked concerns about public safety and governance in the state.
A man was beaten to death and another critically injured by a mob for allegedly sexually assaulting two women on the outskirts of the city on Thursday, following which Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi asked the police to ensure no repeat of such incidents in future.
Odisha Police have arrested five individuals in connection with the attack on a BJD leader and chairperson in the Ganjam district. The incident sparked political reactions and protests, with investigations ongoing to determine the exact cause.
Naveen Patnaik, who steered the Biju Janata Dal to a landslide victory in the Odisha assembly elections, was on Wednesday sworn in as chief minister for a fourth consecutive term.
A man and his female friend were allegedly assaulted with sticks by a group of people in Odisha's Berhampur city, triggering outrage after a video of the incident went viral on social media.
Veteran Odisha journalist Ashutosh Mishra has died at the age of 68. His death has been met with grief from political leaders and the journalism community.
The total value of Naveen Patnaik's assets has swelled by Rs 4 crore from Rs 7.98 crore to Rs 12.06 crore between 2009 and 2014. This increase is because of appreciation of property value instead of acquisition of any new property.
Opposition parties in Odisha, BJD and Congress, have criticised Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, accusing him of a surge in police brutality. The allegations stem from a custodial death in Ganjam district and other instances of alleged police misconduct. The BJP has defended the government, stating that prompt action has been taken in response to these cases.
Mr Pradhan is not an especially charismatic leader or a brilliant orator, but his understanding of realpolitik and organisational dynamics makes him the ultimate party man, points out Aditi Phadnis.
Odisha is in shock after a pregnant woman was brutally murdered in Ganjam district. Political leaders are calling for swift action and justice for the victim and her orphaned daughter.
The Odisha Gymnastics Association is under investigation for allegedly using the name of its deceased president to secure funds from the state government. A complaint questions the association's governance and financial practices, including the sanctioning of funds from multiple agencies for the same event.
A section of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders in Odisha are expressing discontent over the party's decision to support the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The issue has sparked internal turmoil, with young leaders submitting a memorandum to party president Naveen Patnaik, urging him to address the situation. Patnaik has held meetings with senior leaders, assuring them that necessary action will be taken to mitigate the fallout and maintain the party's secular image.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik may be questioned by CBI for writing a letter of support in favour of Hindalco, an Aditya Birla group company, after its bid for coal mines was rejected by coal ministry.
Omar Abdullah has so far laboured hard to make best of a bad bargain. Even so, the ground reality is anything but reassuring. The Opposition parties, including notably the PDP, appear to be gaining ground, though more by default. Public patience with Omar's government has nearly run out, notes Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the distinguished commentator on Kashmir affairs.
Odisha's and Telangana's principal opposition parties, the Biju Janata Dal and the Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi, on Monday announced that their MPs will abstain from voting in the vice presidential elections.
An administrative inquiry has been ordered after a man in Odisha was allegedly forced to carry his sister's skeleton to a bank to withdraw money. The BJD has alleged further mistreatment, claiming he was made to re-bury the remains. The bank denies asking for the corpse, stating they only required a death certificate.
Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Bihar's Chief Minister for a record 10th time, extending his tenure and joining the list of longest-serving CMs in India.
The Congress party in Odisha has moved its MLAs to Karnataka due to concerns about cross-voting in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. Meanwhile, the BJD has called for meetings of its legislators.
Popular Odia music composer and singer Abhijit Majumdar passed away at the age of 54 while undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. He had been suffering from hypertension, hypothyroidism, and chronic liver disease.
The probe agency has issued summons to Samal and his son Prayaskanti in connection with Barapada Engineering College land irregularities, they added.
A major fire at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Odisha resulted in the deaths of ten patients in the ICU. The Chief Minister has ordered a judicial probe and announced compensation for the victims' families.
Kumar had also made it clear that he was in the process of uniting the non-BJP leaders.
Raghu Rai, one of India's most celebrated photographers, passed away at a private hospital in New Delhi at the age of 83. He is survived by his wife, son, and three daughters.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has strongly criticised Aam Aadmi Party members who defected to the BJP, labelling them as 'traitors' and accusing the BJP of attempting to destabilise the AAP government in Punjab.
Das, a law graduate, was in politics from his college days and was elected as the Students' Union president at Gangadhar Meher College at Sambalpur, one of the oldest colleges in western Odisha.
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik launched the second T20 International between India and South Africa by ringing the bell at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Sunday.
The BJP's vote share in Cuttack went up from 9 per cent in 2009 to 38 per cent in 2019.
Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati expressed deep anguish over the incident, and stressed the need for a thorough and impartial investigation and strict punishment for the culprits as per the law.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's private secretary V K Pandian played audio of the CM at a public meeting in Barpali in which Patnaik can be heard telling the people that he has sent the IAS officer so that they can tell their grievances to him.
'Within the BJP, Samrat Chowdhury confronts a party full of senior leaders with their own factional networks, caste calculations and career ambitions; many of whom may regard his elevation as a product of central convenience rather than organic merit.'
'We have restored it in full glory and it now stands as a testimony to BijuBabu's daredevilry.'
Modi, in his rally just days ahead of the last phase of the Lok Sabha election, also said that "well-wishers of Naveen babu are worried over his deteriorating health condition."
Leader of Opposition in Odisha assembly and BJP leader Jaynarayan Mishra on Tuesday claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had warned that President's rule will be imposed in the state if the assembly is dissolved early.
'The tide started to turn against the BJD when V K Pandian toured the districts gathering people's grievances last year.'
What may work for the BJP is the growing resentment against V K Pandian, a bureaucrat-turned-politician who Jay Panda alleges has hijacked the Odisha government.
Amid a row over change in stand over voting on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday asserted it is a secular regional outfit and maintains equal distance from the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance and the opposition Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance bloc led by the Congress.
The 2000-batch IAS officer, who sparked several controversies and was accused of violating the service rule, had taken voluntary retirement from government service on October 23 this year.
Eid al-Fitr was celebrated across India with prayers for peace and brotherhood, alongside protests condemning US-Israel actions in West Asia.
However, speculation remained rife that the meeting was part of Banerjee's plan to form an opposition front with regional players minus the Congress.
