Bhubaneswar: In what could be termed as a major jolt to the BJD, its senior leader and former MLA Amar Satpathy today said he is no longer associated with the party.

His statement came days after he said that BJD supremo and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik should accept the responsibility for the party's poor performance in the 2024 polls.

"I am no longer associated with the BJD. I have not taken the party's membership during the recent membership drive. While several political parties, including the BJP, are in talks with me, I am not actively involved in politics at the moment," Satpathy said.

In response, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said Satpathy should officially sever ties with the party.

"If Satpathy doesn't want to stay with the BJD, it would be better for him to leave. His nephew is already with the BJP, and if he wants to follow his nephew's path, it would be best for him to do so," said Mohanty.

Mohanty also said that the party had given Satpathy multiple opportunities, but he failed to promote new and young faces in leadership roles. He added that Satpathy's departure from the BJD would not impact the party.