One More BJD Rajya Sabha MP Quits, Cites Marginalisation And Leadership Concerns
“Everybody knew about my proximity to Naveen Patnaik. However, I have not been able to meet him for over a year now": Debashish Samantaray
BHUBANESWAR: In a fresh setback to Odisha’s principal opposition party, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Rajya Sabha member Debashish Samantaray resigned from the party on Monday, alleging that he had been “systematically belittled” within the organisation and that his services were no longer valued.
In a resignation letter addressed to former Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik, Samantaray expressed gratitude for being nominated to the Rajya Sabha and for the opportunity to raise Odisha-related issues at the national level. However, he said he had taken the “hard decision” to quit in the “public interest” after feeling sidelined in recent times.
Launching a direct attack on the party’s functioning, the veteran leader alleged that internal democracy within the BJD had eroded and leaders were no longer allowed to function according to their “calibre and capability.”
“Everybody knew about my proximity to Naveen Patnaik. However, I have not been able to meet him for over a year now. Perhaps, V. Karthikeyan Pandian ensured that I could not meet him and explain how the party was drifting away from the common people because of certain individuals,” Samantaray said.
The three-time MLA also expressed strong resentment over the growing influence of former IAS officer V. K. Pandian within the party. He claimed the BJD’s electoral defeat and Naveen Patnaik’s exit as Chief Minister were largely due to Pandian’s influence.
Samantaray said he was “deeply hurt” after learning that the newly floated Biju Naveen Inspirational Trust was headed by Pandian and that the late Biju Patnaik’s residence on New Delhi’s Aurangzeb Road had been handed over to the trust.
“This has created an impression among the people of Odisha that Pandian is Naveen Patnaik’s political successor and the future custodian of the BJD,” he alleged.
Hinting at his next political move, Samantaray said he was preparing to “join a national party and begin a new innings.” His remarks have fuelled speculation about a possible switch to the BJP, following the exits of former BJD Rajya Sabha members Mamata Mohanta and Sujeet Kumar, who later joined the saffron party.
The BJD, however, dismissed his allegations. Senior party leader Pramila Mallik accused Samantaray of acting out of personal interest, asserting that the party had given him several important responsibilities over the years.
