WATCH: Odisha BJP MLA’s Close-Up Gesture With Colleague During Minister's Press Meet Goes Viral

Odisha BJP MLA Manoranjan Dyan Samantara was caught on camera in an unusually close embrace with a colleague during a press briefing. The viral video has sparked social media debate, though no official statement has been issued yet.

In what was an awkward yet bizarre moment that instantly set social media abuzz, Odisha BJP MLA Manoranjan Dyan Samantara was caught on camera in an uncomfortably close embrace with a colleague during a crowded press scrum on Friday, November 13.

In a video that went viral on social media, Manoranjan Dyan Samantara, who was standing beside his colleague behind microphones at the media briefing, was captured leaning in at an exceptionally close angle. The Chikiti legislator appeared to be whispering intimately in his colleague's ear, though the tight camera framing made it look, from certain angles, like a light peck on the cheek.

Odisha Minister Gokulananda Mallik was speaking to reporters about the impact of a cyclone on three districts and the need for compensation for affected residents when Samantara's actions behind him were captured on camera.

How Did the Camera Capture Odisha BJP MLA’s Viral Gesture?

Gokulananda Mallik, who is the Odisha Minister for Fisheries and Animal Resources Development, was addressing the reporters reportedly at Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, regarding the damage caused by the cyclone in three districts and the need to provide compensation to affected residents.

Standing behind was Chikiti MLA Manoranjan Dyan Samantara, who was in an orange shirt, and was seen leaning towards his colleague in a white shirt standing right beside him, appearing to whisper into his ear before making what looked like a close gesture near his cheek and shoulder

Though the reporters and cameramen were focusing on the Odisha Minister’s statement, the camera also captured Samantara's unusual interaction with his colleague in the background, which later went viral on social media.

BJP MLA publicly KISSING

📍 Chikiti mla ODISHA https://t.co/Zi63xosCmA

— Suresh Reddy (@ramkrishna6x) November 12, 2026

Full vedio

Your can see kissing behaviour at 1:49 https://t.co/VNp4KMo1bp

— Suresh Reddy (@ramkrishna6x) November 13, 2026

Manoranjan Dyan Samantara is a member of the ruling party in Odisha, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and was elected to the legislative assembly for the first time after winning the state elections in 2024.

Manoranjan Dyan Samantara won the Chikti constituency after defeating five-time MLA Usha Devi of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) by a margin of 6,522 votes, ending the BJD's long-standing stronghold in the region.

Manoranjan Dyan Samantara Not Yet Issued a Statement

After the video of Manoranjan Dyan Samantara, where he was apparently whispering closely and making an affectionate gesture toward his colleague, went viral, speculation mounted across social media platforms.

However, neither the first-time MLA nor the Odisha BJP has issued any official statement or clarification addressing the viral clip. The video has sparked debate on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with users sharing varied reactions to the unusual interaction, while some questioned the context of the footage and called for clarification from the MLA.

The unusual behaviour of Manoranjan Dyan Samantara in front of multiple cameras while a senior minister has drawn attention online. The Odisha BJP MLA was also seen interacting with another person who was standing right beside him.

As the video went viral on social media, capturing the attention of social media users, it remains to be seen whether Manoranjan Dyan Samantara or the Odisha BJP will issue a statement clarifying the unusual interaction.