From MLA to Minister to State Spokesperson: Sarada Nayak’s Political Journey

ROURKELA: Rourkela MLA Sarada Prasad Nayak has emerged as one of the prominent leaders of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha, with a political career spanning more than two decades. A four-time elected MLA from Rourkela, Nayak has combined electoral politics with organisational responsibilities and ministerial assignments in the state government.

Born on January 5, 1959, Nayak holds a Diploma in Electrical Engineering from the Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Institute of Technology (UGIE), Rourkela. His political profile has largely been associated with Rourkela and issues concerning urban development, weaker sections and local communities. )

Nayak entered the electoral mainstream as a BJD candidate from Rourkela in 2004, beginning a long association with the constituency. He retained the seat in the 2009 Assembly election, when he defeated BJP candidate Ramesh Kumar Agrawal by 25,596 votes.

His political journey faced a setback in the 2014 Assembly election, when BJP’s Dilip Kumar Ray won the Rourkela seat and Nayak finished runner-up. However, Nayak returned strongly in the 2019 Assembly election, defeating BJP’s Nihar Ray by more than 10,000 votes.

In the 2024 Odisha Assembly election, Nayak again won the Rourkela seat on a BJD ticket, securing his position as one of the party’s important leaders in the Sundargarh region. Election records show that he polled 64,660 votes in the 2024 contest.

Nayak has also held ministerial responsibilities in the Odisha government. In May 2023, he was inducted into the Naveen Patnaik-led Council of Ministers and was given charge of the Labour and Employees’ State Insurance Department. During his tenure as minister, he remained active in party programmes and public outreach activities in Rourkela.

His political activities have also frequently focused on local civic and social issues. In July 2024, for instance, Nayak led a protest concerning the eviction of slum dwellers affected by the South Eastern Railway’s third-line project and demanded rehabilitation for the affected families.

Beyond electoral politics, Nayak has continued to occupy organisational positions within the BJD. In the latest party reorganisation announced in October 2026, Sarada Prasad Nayak was included among the party’s State Spokespersons, placing him in the BJD’s official communication structure alongside several senior leaders.

His political journey—from a regional BJD leader and Rourkela legislator to a state minister and now a state spokesperson—has kept him closely associated with the political affairs of Rourkela and Sundargarh. His repeated electoral contests and continued organisational responsibilities have made him a significant voice of the BJD in the region.