Bhubaneswar, Dec. 6 -- A rising debate unfolded in the Odisha Assembly on Friday after BJD MLA Goutam Buddha Das accused the BJP of coercing local leaders under a covert 'Operation Lotus', prompting an immediate and sharp rebuttal from BJP MLA Bibhuti Pradhan.

The confrontation came amid ongoing political churn within the BJD, marked by recent high-profile exits and speculation of more leaders shifting allegiance.

Raising the issue during the Panchayati Raj department's expenditure discussion, BJD's Goutam Buddha Das alleged that the BJP was attempting to engineer defections at the grassroots level.

He claimed that the party was pressuring block chairpersons and panchayat representatives to switch sides despite lacking organisational d...