Bhubaneswar, Nov 13 A BJP MLA from Odisha’s flood-hit Ganjam district courted controversy after a video purportedly showing him trying to kiss and embrace a man while a state minister was addressing the press went viral on social media.
The MLA, Manoranjan Dyan Samantra, represents the Chikiti constituency and was elected to the assembly for the first time in 2024.
The opposition BJD shared the video on X, saying, “Ganjam has been swept away by the floods… BJP leaders are jumping for joy.”
The video purportedly shows Samantra standing behind Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik during an interaction with journalists, and embracing and attempting to kiss a man standing beside him.
The clip appeared to have been recorded during Mallik’s interaction with the press on the flood situation on Thursday. However, PTI could not independently verify its authenticity.
Samantra could not be contacted for his comments, as he did not respond to phone calls.
A BJP spokesperson also did not respond to queries on the matter.
Meanwhile, Samantra’s wife, Meena Sahu, claimed that the viral clip was manipulated using artificial intelligence (AI) and shared another video of the same press interaction, which she described as the “original” footage.
In a post on X, she said the MLA was listening to the minister in the “original” video and accused the BJD’s Chikiti social media team of circulating an AI-generated clip to malign his image.
She urged the Berhampur police to take strict action against those responsible.
(PTI News)
