Bhubaneswar: Lok Sabha MP Baijayant Panda, who was suspended from the primary membership of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in January, quit the party Monday.
In his three-page-long resignation letter to BJD president Naveen Patnaik, Panda said he was hurt and unhappy over the fact that members of the ruling party did not attend the funeral of his industrialist father Bansidhar Panda, seven days ago.
“It has plumbed the absolute depths of inhumanity when neither you nor anyone from the BJD turned up to pay their last respects to my father Dr Bansidhar Panda, who as everyone knows was a very close friend, supporter and associate of Biju uncle (Biju Patnaik) for decades (sic).”
The MP also said that he was heartbroken to find out that several BJD leaders were restrained from attending the funeral service. “It is with deep anguish, hurt and sorrow that I have decided to quit the kind of politics into which our BJD has descended,” Panda wrote in the letter.
Panda was suspended from the BJD by Patnaik January 24 for indulging in “anti-party activities”. The MP said that he would convey his decision to quit the membership of Lok Sabha to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan after completion of his religious obligations of bereavement.
Commenting on Panda’s allegations, BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra said the party president was the first person to express his condolence over the demise of Bansidhar Panda which was carried in print and electronic media.
As for his resignation, Mishra said, “At a time when the family of Panda is in mourning over the loss of industrialist Bansidhar Panda, BJD would refrain from making any statements on his resignation. The party will, however, make its stand clear at right time after completion of the rituals.”
The resignation of Panda has fueled speculation of his joining in the saffron camp.
When asked about it, BJP leader and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “All the likeminded people who respect the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and our president Amit Shah are welcome to the party.”
