Pranab Prakash Das resigns as OCA President ahead of India-England ODI

Bhubaneswar, Dec 29: Pranab Prakash Das, a senior leader of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), has stepped down as the president of the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA).

Das, a former MLA from Jajpur, had been elected unopposed to the position on October 28, 2022. His term, originally scheduled to run until October 2025, has now come to an early conclusion.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, OCA General Secretary Sanjay Behera announced that Vice-President Pankaj Mohanty will serve as the interim president until elections are held within 45 days. Behera mentioned that Das resigned citing personal reasons and clarified that the election for the position would take place after an upcoming international cricket match.

The Barabati Stadium in Cuttack is set to host a One-Day International (ODI) match between India and England on February 9, 2025. This marks the return of international cricket to the venue after more than five years.

The resignation comes amid a noticeable shift in leadership within sports bodies previously led by BJD politicians, following the BJP’s formation of its first government in the state. Earlier, in July, Debasish Samantray had resigned as president of the Football Association of Odisha (FAO), signaling a broader trend.

Reports had been circulating for some time about Das possibly stepping down, especially after tensions reportedly arose between him and Sanjay Behera. The friction allegedly stemmed from the BJD’s decision to field Prakash Behera from the Cuttack-Barabati constituency, a seat Sanjay Behera was reportedly interested in contesting.