BHUBANESWAR: Days after two senior leaders N Bhaskar Rao and Lal Bihari Himirika resigned from the BJD, former minister Prafulla Mallik also threatened to follow suit expressing dissatisfaction over the functioning of the party.
Mallik said that though he is in the BJD, he is not involved in any organisational activities. The four-time legislator said he will further distance himself from the party if the state of affairs do not improve.
The former minister said he had suggested revival of the political affairs committee (PAC), disciplinary committee and some other matters to the leadership. But only the PAC was revived and other suggestions were ignored. The party has failed to function effectively as the main Opposition in the state, he added.
The BJD on its part dismissed Mallik as an opportunistic politician. Party spokesperson Pratap Jena said he was elected four times on a BJD ticket to the Assembly and party president Naveen Patnaik himself had campaigned for him.
“He was made a minister and entrusted with key portfolios like Works and Mines. However, after BJD’s defeat in 2024 polls, he has started speaking against the party. The commitment of a person is proved in difficult times. He has failed the test of loyalty,” Jena said.