Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Odisha MP Baijayant Panda quits BJD

Continue reading

May 28, 2018
Odisha Latest

Bhubaneswar: Four months after being suspended from the primary membership of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda today submitted his resignation letter to party supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik citing personal humiliation and alleging that the party has deviated from the ideals of its founder Biju Patnaik.

Panda said he will also convey his decision to the Lok Sabha Speaker to accept his resignation as Kendrapara MP.

"It is with deep anguish, hurt and sorrow that I have decided to quit the kind of politics into which our BJD has descended," Panda wrote in the resignation letter.

"It has plumbed the absolute depths of inhumanity when neither you nor anyone from the BJD turned up to pay their last respects to my father Dr Bansidhar Panda, who as everyone knows was a very close friend, supporter and associate of Biju uncle (Biju Patnaik) for decades," the MP said in the letter adding that he was heartbroken when several BJD leaders conveyed that they had been restrained from coming by to pay their last respects to the departed soul.

"I have been viciously targeted, including being physically assaulted with stones, bricks and eggs last May in Mahanga. I was extremely saddened that even then you did not bother to call to inquire about my health and safety, nor even when we met several times thereafter at party forums. For your information, I have been undergoing treatment for physical injury to my shoulder on that occasion," he said.

"The unceasing humiliations I have been subjected to since 2014 are in the public domain, from being boycotted by party members at statutory constituency review meetings "under instructions from above", to open threats of violence by some BJD members via press conferences, actual instances of violence following these threats, false cases against me, fake allegations of anti-party activities, kangaroo court inquiries against me by tainted personalities, that too concluded within two days and without my being formally informed of the charges or given a chance to respond; and finally being suspended from the party by such dubious means," he added.

"With the BJD and you yourself having made it abundantly clear thai I am unwanted, it is only right for me to dissociate from it. Separately, I will be conveying my decision formally to the Honourable Speaker of the Lok Sabha to accept my resignation from that August institution upon completion of my religious obligations of bereavement," Panda concluded.

Notably, Panda was suspended from the party by Naveen Patnaik on January 24 for anti-party activities.

About the Author
Sambad English Bureau

Sambad English covers latest news and happenings from Odisha from the house of Sambad Group, Eastern Media Limited.

728x90 Advertisement

You May Also Like


DISCLAIMER
All content on this website is the exclusive property of Eastern Media Limited. Any downloadable material, including but not limited to electronic or digital versions of the newspaper (e-paper) in any format, is provided solely for personal use. Unauthorized dissemination, distribution, circulation, or publication of any content or e-paper (whether in PDF or other formats) by any means, including on social media platforms, without prior authorization, permission, or license is strictly prohibited.