CUTTACK/BHUBANESWAR: Upbeat over several high-profile acquisitions in the recent days, the BJP, however, suffered a double jolt on Friday as sitting MLA from Nilagiri Sukant Nayak and Cuttack district president Prakash Behera quit the party.
The government engineer-turned-politician Nayak had made his entry into politics with BJD and won his first Assembly election from the seat in 2014. In 2019, he switched to BJP and was able to successfully retain the seat.
Sources said Nayak will again return to BJD in a day or two. The regional outfit is likely to field him from the very seat. Differences with BJP Lok Sabha candidate Pratap Chandra Sarangi from Balasore Lok Sabha seat is being cited as the reason for his resignation. Sarangi represented Nilagiri seat twice in 2004 and 2009, first as a BJP candidate and then as an independent. Nayak, however, maintained he will reveal the reason behind his resignation from BJP at the right time.
Cuttack BJP president Behera’s resignation from the primary membership of the party is crucial ahead of elections as it is an indication that all is not well in the BJP in such an important district. Sources said Behera was not happy with Bhartruhari Mahtab joining BJP and the possibility of the party fielding him from Cuttack Lok Sabha seat. Behera was reportedly an aspirant for the Lok Sabha seat.
Sources maintained Behera has a good base in the Salipur Assembly segment and its adjoining areas and his resignation from the BJP will have an adverse impact on performance of the party irrespective of whom it selects as its candidate for the Lok Sabha.
Behera, however, cited incompatibility with the state leadership as the reason behind the resignation from the party. “I have tried my best to do justice to the post and make the party achieve milestones but have been unable to do so satisfactorily. Nevertheless I thank you and leadership for giving me the opportunity to serve the party under your able guidance and leadership for which I shall ever remain grateful,” read his resignation letter to state president Manmohan Samal.
Behera had won the Salipur Assembly constituency on a Congress ticket in 2014 but had resigned and joined BJP before the 2019 elections. He had contested the 2019 election from Salipur on a BJP ticket. Behera, however, refrained from speaking against the BJP and said there was no problem for him to avail a party ticket for the upcoming election. “There was some difference of opinion and problem in decision-making due to which I could not adjust with the leadership,” he added.
Asked about his future course of action, Behera said he will discuss with his workers and well-wishers. Sources, however, said he is likely to join the BJD soon.