Bhubaneswar: Former Bargarh MLA Sadhu Nepak today resigned from the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) ahead of the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Odisha.

Nepak has resigned from the primary membership of BJD. He has sent his resignation letter to BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Nepak has also resigned from the post of member, State Planning Board, in Odisha.

He has sent his resignation letter to the Chief Minister, who is also the Chairman of State Planning Board.

“The BJD leadership has not given me any responsibility for the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the state. So, I decided to quit the ruling party,” said Nepak in his resignation letter to BJD supremo.

Nepak had been elected to Odisha Assembly from Bargarh constituency in 2009. However, he was defeated by Debesh Acharya of BJD from the same seat in 2014 Assembly polls in the state.

Nepak had left Congress after he was denied ticket ahead of the 2019 Assembly elections in Odisha.

The former legislator, later, joined the ruling BJD and he was appointed as the member of State Planning Board in the rank of Minister of State in Odisha.