Suspended Odisha MP Baijayant Panda quits BJD

Bhubaneswar: Baijayant Panda, who was suspended from primary membership of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in January, quit the party on Monday.

In a letter to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Panda said, “It’s with deep anguish, hurt and sorrow that I have decided to quit the politics into which our BJD has descended.”

“I’ve been viciously targeted, including being physically assaulted with stones, bricks & eggs last May in Mahanga. I was extremely saddened that even then you (CM Naveen Patnaik) did not bother to call to inquire about my health and safety,” said Baijayant.

The Kendrapara Parliamentarian also informed that he will convey his decision to Lok Sabha Speaker to accept his resignation upon completion of his religious obligations of bereavement.

Patnaik had suspended Panda from the party for his anti-party activities on January 24.

Senior BJD leader and former minister Debi Prasad Mishra said Panda is mourning over the demise of his father and the party would react to the resignation of Panda after completion of religious obligations of bereavement.

“BJD leaders abstaining from paying tributes to a towering personality like Bansidhar Panda, who was Pride of Odisha certainly has hurt everybody across Odisha and deeply affected the self-respect of Jay Panda,” said Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Jay Panda’s resignation.