Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), Dec 2: In a significant setback for the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha, Raghupati Mohanty, the chairman of Badamba block in Cuttack district, resigned from the party and officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with his supporters on Monday.
Mohanty was joined by Nayana Sahoo, a zilla parishad member from the Maniabandh zone, who also left the BJD to align with the BJP, bringing several local leaders and workers with them. State BJP president Manmohan Samal warmly welcomed the new members at the party’s state headquarters in Bhubaneswar.
Sources revealed that Mohanty had earlier submitted his resignation via email to BJD president Naveen Patnaik, expressing his desire to resign from the party’s primary membership. In response, the BJD issued separate office orders signed by Patnaik, expelling Mohanty and suspending Sahoo for engaging in anti-party activities.
This development has intensified the crisis for the BJD, particularly in Cuttack district. In his resignation letter, Mohanty stated he felt redundant within the party, saying, “I find myself redundant and hence, I am tendering my resignation.” He emphasized that despite his dedicated efforts for the development of his area, he now feels unwanted in the organization.
