Odisha: Denied ticket from Khandapada, Anubhav Patnaik resigns from BJD

Chinmayee Dash Published On : May 2, 2024 at 3:58 PM

Khandapada: Former MLA Anubhav Patnaik resigned from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) after being denied a ticket for Khandapada Assembly seat in the ensuing elections in Odisha.

Patnaik, who was one of the aspirants to get the BJD ticket for the forthcoming election from Khandapada, tendered his resignation letter to BJD President Naveen Patnaik with a ‘heavy heart’ ending his long ties with the regional party with immediate effect.

EU transfers 1.5 bn euros of frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine

Paris Olympics: Sindhu, Sharath lead India as Games start with spectacular Opening Ceremony

Anubhav Patnaik had won the Khandapada Assembly seat on BJD ticket in 2014 elections. Despite the denial of a ticket in 2019 elections, he had been working for the BJD in the organisational level.

In the resignation letter, he mentioned that he and his family had been working in Khandapada to strengthen the organisation in the last 40 years. He had worked for the organisation with dedication and brought inclusive development to Khandapada during his tenure as the MLA from 2014-2019.

“However, I was dropped from the list of candidates for 2019 elections despite my ‘good’ performance in Khandapada. Rather, the party fielded someone outsider (indicating Soumya Ranjan Patnaik) from Khandapada who subsequently did not reach out people after winning the poll. When that person raised his voice against the top leadership of the party, by the order of the party supremo I stood by the party and made party’s stand clear in media. I had been doing my duty as per party’s requirement on the instruction of party’s top leadership. Even I am not elected representative currently, I have participated in TV debates as the party’s spokesperson. In absence of the elected MLA, I had tried my best to address people’s issues in Khandapada. However, all my contribution and performances were ignored, and the party deprived me again by not considering me for the MLA ticket from Khandapada,” he said in the letter.

He resigned from the primary membership of the BJD some hours after the party announced Sabitri Pradhan as its candidate for Khandapada for the ensuing elections.