Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 8 (ANI): Senior BJP leader Manmohan Samal has been re-elected as the State President of the Bharatiya Janata Party's Odisha unit, marking his unopposed return to the top post amid celebrations at the party headquarters in Bhubaneswar.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi led the felicitation ceremony, joined by Deputy Chief Ministers KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, along with BJP ministers, MPs, MLAs, and senior leaders who extended their congratulations and best wishes to Samal for his continued leadership.

This marks Samal's fourth term as state president, having previously served from 1999 to 2000, again from 2000 to 2004, and then from March 2023 to the present. A seasoned politician with deep roots in Odisha's political landscape, Samal has also held roles as a minister and legislator.

In the 2024 general elections, he played a pivotal role in steering the party to power, overcoming significant challenges.

Samal's leadership during the 2024 general elections was credited with consolidating party ranks and leading the BJP to a significant victory, enabling the party to form its first-ever government in the state.

Meanwhile, The Bharatiya Janata Party's Odisha unit on July 1 suspended five of its members over their alleged involvement in the violence at the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) office, where Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo was assaulted on June 30.

Odisha BJP's media cell said party's state unit chief Manmohan Samal has suspended five leaders - Corporator Aparup Narayan Raut, Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra, Debashish Pradhan, Sachikanth Swain and Sanjeev Mishra, from the primary membership of BJP on the basis of allegations related to the violence at the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation office.

BJD leaders had strongly attacked the BJP government in the state over the assault on Ratnakar Sahoo.

Party chief and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed his deep shock at 'brutal kicking and assault' of Additional Commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and called upon Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to take immediate and exemplary action against the guilty including 'political leaders who orchestrated and conspired this shameful attack'.

BJD workers protested against the 'assault' of Ratnakar Sahoo.

Patnaik said on X that the official was 'dragged from his office and brutally kicked' and attached a video.

'I am utterly shocked seeing this video. Today, Shri Ratnakar Sahoo, OAS Additional Commissioner, BMC, a senior officer of the rank of Additional Secretary was dragged from his office and brutally kicked and assaulted in front of a BJP Corporator, allegedly linked to a defeated BJP MLA Candidate,' Patnaik said.

The BJD leader said what is more appalling is that this happened in broad daylight, in the heart of the capital city to a senior officer while he was in his office, hearing grievances of people. (ANI)