KENDRAPARA: In a jolt to the BJD, Kendrapara MP Archana Nayak resigned from the party and Lok Sabha seat on Friday. ‘I have sent my resignation letter to the Speaker of Lok Sabha and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. I will reveal the reasons behind my resignation at a Press conference on Saturday,’ Archana told this paper.
Sources said Archana resigned from the BJD protesting the reported decision of the party leadership to deny her ticket to contest from Mahakalapada Assembly seat.
Archana’s native village is situated within Mahakalapada Assembly segment from where she reportedly evinced interest to contest.
Changing political parties is nothing new for Archana. In the last Lok Sabha polls, she was given a BJD ticket within days of her deserting the Congress.
Archana had contested from Kendrapara as Congress candidate in 12th and 13th Lok Sabha elections and had lost to BJD candidate Pravat Samantaray. ‘Her resignation is good for BJD,’ said Raghunandan Panda, a BJD leader of Kendrapara.
‘I do not know the reason behind Archana’s resignation, but BJD will not suffer any setback,’ said Atanu Sabyasachi, BJD leader and Patakura MLA.