Bhubaneswar: In a stern message to the rebels, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) today suspended party leader and Sundergarh MLA Jogesh Singh for “anti-party" activities. Singh had earlier hinted quitting the Congress.

Senior Congress leader and OPCC Disciplinary Committee member Ananta Das informed to the media here this afternoon.

“As per the directive of the All India Congress Committee, Sundergarh MLA Jogesh Singh has been suspended from the party for his frequent anti-party remarks in the media, which caused damage to party image,” a statement issued by the State Congress said.

In his reaction, Singh said: “I welcome the party’s decision. But, I don’t know when and what anti-party statements I had given.”

“I will resign from the post of MLA very soon,” he added.

When asked whether action was taken against him for praising BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Singh said “he didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I have no hesitation to say that the people have chosen Naveen Patnaik as their most popular leader and he is the most successful CM in the country now,” the Congress MLA reiterated.

Earlier, Singh had said that he is skipping the meeting of Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Bhubaneswar on January 25 to attend a scheduled programme in the rural areas of his constituency.

Also Read: Odisha MLA Naba Das quits Congress, to join BJD

On Tuesday, Congress leader and Jharsuguda MLA Naba Kishore had resigned from the primary membership of the party and from the post of working president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC), claiming his supporters want him to contest the 2019 election as a BJD candidate.