India, April 7 -- Tensions within Biju Janata Dal (BJD) took a dramatic turn on Monday as a section of party workers staged a surprise protest outside party supremo Naveen Patnaik's residence, raising slogans against VK Pandian, the close aide and former IAS officer turned political advisor to the former Chief Minister.

The protesting workers, who identified themselves as longtime BJD supporters, raised loud chants of "Pandian Go Back" near Naveen Niwas, demanding accountability and transparency in the party's internal decisions - particularly over the recent controversy surrounding the Waqf Bill vote in the Rajya Sabha.

This rare instance of dissent from within the party ranks came shortly after senior BJD MP Munna Khan publicly critic...