Bhubaneswar: Manmohan Samal, a prominent figure in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha, has officially filed his nomination for the post of Odisha State President.
The nomination event, held at the BJP state headquarters in Bhubaneswar, saw the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, central observers, and other senior party officials.
Shri Samal is widely anticipated to be re-elected unopposed, as no other candidate has submitted nomination papers. The official announcement of his re-election is expected on July 8, 2025, following the scrutiny of nomination papers.
The nomination process, which also included the filing of nominations for 32 National Council members, was overseen by election officer Pratap Sarangi and national observer Sanjay Jaiswal. This reflects the party’s organizational unity and strong confidence in Samal’s leadership.
Manmohan Samal, born on April 15, 1959, in Bhadrak district, has a long-standing political career. He was first elected as student union president of Bhadrak College in 1979 and has been actively involved with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
He has previously served multiple terms as the BJP Odisha State President, including from 1999 to 2004, and again since March 24, 2023. His prior government roles include Revenue Minister and Minister of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare in the Odisha government. In 2004, he was elected as an MLA from the Dhamnagar constituency.
Shri Samal is credited with the BJP’s significant victory in the 2024 Odisha Assembly Elections, which led to the end of the Biju Janata Dal’s 24-year rule and the formation of the first BJP government in the state. His strategic approach, grassroots mobilization, and effective communication were pivotal to this success.
The election process for the state president involves 273 delegates from 37 organizational districts, encompassing state council members, district presidents, and elected public representatives, including two Lok Sabha MPs, one Rajya Sabha MP, and five MLAs.
With his unopposed nomination and strong party backing, Shri Samal’s re-election is considered a formality, ensuring continuity in the BJP’s leadership in Odisha.