Bhubaneswar, 24 September (H.S.): A day after her suspension from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Shreemayee Mishra has once again voiced strong criticism of the party, questioning the transparency and fairness of its internal electoral processes. On Wednesday, Mishra raised concerns about the election of office bearers, including the party president, highlighting systemic shortcomings in internal voting.

Mishra, known for her outspoken interventions and active social media presence, emphasized the absence of a unique identification system for party members, akin to the EPIC number used in public elections. In a social media post, she argued that without such a system, the party’s internal polls cannot be considered fully legitimate, undermining democratic principles.

The post comes shortly after BJD formally suspended Mishra, citing “anti-party” activities. She stressed that members must have unique identification to cast votes in internal elections, warning that the lack of such a mechanism leaves the process vulnerable to manipulation and calls into question the legitimacy of elected office bearers.

Mishra’s remarks follow her previous posts that sparked debate over internal transparency and decision-making within the party. In her latest statements, she again drew on symbolic references, invoking characters from the Mahabharata and making indirect allusions to senior party leaders. Her earlier posts had critiqued party governance, questioning the accountability of leadership and the management of internal elections.

Her recent statements have reignited discussions about internal rifts within the BJD. Several other leaders, including party veteran and MP Debashish Samantaray, have reportedly grown increasingly distant from the party. However, BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik has yet to comment on the rising discord within his party.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda