Bhubaneswar: Former Salipur MLA Prakash Chandra Behera has resigned from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha.

Behera resigned from the primary membership of BJD. He sent his resignation to BJD president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today.

Behera had joined BJD after quitting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) just before this year’s simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Odisha.

He had unsuccessfully contested the 2024 Assembly polls from Barabati-Cuttack seat on a BJD ticket.

Behera had been elected to the Odisha Assembly from Salipur seat in Cuttack district on a Congress ticket in 2014.

He had resigned from the Congress party and joined the BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the state.

Behera had also contested the 2019 Assembly polls from Salipur on a BJP ticket. However, he had been defeated by BJD’s Prashant Behera.

In his resignation letter, Behera thanked the BJD president for giving him an opportunity to fight from the Barabati-Cuttack seat in this year’s Assembly polls.

“I have decided to devote myself to the service of Tangi-Salipur people. I will take a decision regarding my future course of action after consulting my elders, friends and well-wishers,” Behera said in his resignation letter.