Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Friday expelled its Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar for “anti-party activities”, soon after he tendered his resignation from the Upper House of Parliament.
Kumar joined the BJP in Delhi in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, MP Bhartruhari Mahatab, the party’s Odisha in-charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar and other senior leaders.
The opposition BJD said Kumar has “let down the party” which sent him to the Rajya Sabha.
In an order, BJD president and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that Kumar has also let the aspirations of the people of Kalahandi down.
“I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders. It is a big decision for me to resign from the Rajya Sabha. Kalahandi, my native place, did not witness development during the BJD regime due to rampant corruption,” Kumar told reporters after joining the saffron camp in the national capital.
“Crores of rupees were looted in Kalahandi. Some BJD leaders, government officers and others were involved in financial irregularities. I raised my voice against corruption. I resigned from Rajya Sabha to protect the interest of Kalahandi,” Kumar added.
“I do hereby tender my resignation from the membership of Rajya Sabha. I have taken this decision consciously,” Sujeet wrote in his resignation letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman.
He thanked Patnaik for sending him to the Rajya Sabha.
Kumar, once a close confidant of BJD leader VK Pandian, was elected to the Upper House of Parliament in April 2020.
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He also claimed, “I was ignored and sidelined in the BJD. I was indirectly threatened to be removed from the party…It is ridiculous that I was expelled as I had resigned from the party before the BJD issued the expulsion order.”
This comes a month after Kudumi community leader Mamata Mohanta resigned from the Rajya Sabha and the BJD. She was recently elected unopposed to the Upper House of Parliament as a BJP MP.
With the resignation of Kumar and Mohanta, the strength of the BJD in the Rajya Sabha has come down to seven from nine. The party has no members in the Lok Sabha.
PNN & Agencies
