Jayanarayan Mishra (born 10 June 1963) is an Indian politician from Odisha, affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is a senior leader in the Odisha Legislative Assembly and has represented the Sambalpur constituency five times. Mishra has held various key positions, including Minister of Commerce & Transport and Leader of the Opposition in the Odisha Assembly.
Jayanarayan Mishra was born on 10 June 1963 in Sambalpur, Odisha. He completed his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from NAC College, Burla. Coming from a family involved in agriculture, Mishra has maintained close ties with rural and social service activities throughout his career.
Mishra began his political journey with the Bharatiya Janata Party and was first elected as a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Sambalpur constituency in 2000. Since then, he has been re-elected multiple times, establishing himself as a prominent leader in the region.
He served as the minister of commerce and transport in the Odisha government during the BJDâÂÂBJP coalition government headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
In 2022, Jayanarayan Mishra was appointed the Leader of the Opposition in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, representing the BJP.
In 2023, Mishra was involved in a controversy when an FIR was filed against him for alleged misconduct with a police officer. Mishra denied the allegations. The case attracted significant media attention in Odisha.
In 2025, Mishra sparked political controversy by questioning the state song "Bande Utkal Janani," arguing that it praises only the Utkal region and neglects other regions like Koshal and Kalinga. He suggested renaming it "Bande Odisha Janani" to represent all 30 districts. The opposition criticized his comments, which led to a clarification from the Odisha government distancing itself from his views, stating they were his personal opinions.
In April 2025, MishraâÂÂs daughter stirred political controversy by sitting through the Odisha state song during a public event. Some political groups saw this as disrespectful, further fueling tensions around regional identity issues.
Mishra further ignited controversy by calling the merger of the western Odisha region Koshal with the state a "historic blunder," claiming the region has been neglected and exploited in various sectors. This statement led to protests and disruptions in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, with opposition parties accusing him of promoting divisive ideas and undermining OdishaâÂÂs unity. The BJD demanded an apology and urged the BJP leadership to take a clear stance on his remarks.
In April 2025, Mishra was involved in a controversy for allegedly abusing a police officer in Sambalpur and threatening to set a police station on fire, which attracted media attention and criticism.