BHUBANESWAR: In a major setback for BJD, former MP from Bargarh and president of district unit Prabhas Kumar Singh resigned from primary membership of the party on Monday.
Singh is the first senior leader of the party who has openly revolted against BJD’s policy of inducting leaders from rival political parties and fielding them from several key constituencies. The former MP handed over his resignation letter to party supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here at Naveen Niwas.
Singh was an aspirant for a ticket from Bargarh Lok Sabha seat as senior leader Prasanna Acharya was not keen to contest this time. However, in a surprise move, the party fielded Parineeta Mishra, wife of Susanta Mishra, the former BJP vice-president of Bargarh district unit from the seat. The couple had joined BJD here on April 3, hours before Parineeta’s candidature was announced by the party.
Singh said as a district president of the party, he was not consulted over such an important development. Alleging there is no internal democracy in BJD, he said the ideology of the party has changed. “During my tenure with BJD, I tried to uphold values of discipline and dedication, delivering my best in every capacity. However, after careful consideration due to various intricacies and difficulties, I believe it is in the best interest of all parties involved that I step down from my position,” Singh stated in his resignation letter.
Singh said he will hold discussions with his supporters before deciding on his future course of action. The former MP said he will not contest the ensuing election. He had won the Bargarh Lok Sabha seat in 2014 elections by defeating BJP’s Subash Chouhan with a margin of 11,178 votes. The BJD fielded senior leader Prasanna Acharya from the seat in 2019 but he lost to BJP’s Suresh Pujari by 63,939 votes. While Singh was hoping to repeat the 2014 feat, the party chose Parineeta, a new entrant and political greenhorn.
Discontentment is rife within BJD over distribution of tickets in other areas of the state too. BJD leader and Birmaharajpur block chairman Shanti Luha resigned from the primary membership of the party. Shanti’s husband Narayan Luha, who was expecting a BJD ticket for Birmaharajpur Assembly seat, also resigned from the regional outfit on Monday. The party has repeated senior leader and former minister Padmanabha Behera from the seat.
Similarly, induction of former Congress leader Ganeswar Behera to BJD has also sparked off widespread resentment at Kendrapara. Several leaders have protested his joining BJD which is contemplating to field him from Kendrapara Assembly seat.