September 8th 2024.
Bhubaneswar: Recently, there has been quite a stir in the political circles of Odisha, as two members of the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) have resigned from the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This unexpected turn of events has left the BJD in a state of shock and has sparked discussions about the future of the regional outfit that has been in power for the past 24 years.
Mamata Mohanta and Sujeet Kumar, the two BJD Rajya Sabha MPs, have caused quite a stir by their resignation and subsequent joining of the BJP. This has dealt a major blow to the BJD, as they now have no representation in the Lok Sabha for the first time since its establishment in 1997. The party now has a total of seven members in the Rajya Sabha, out of the 10 seats allotted to Odisha. Previously, the BJD had nine seats in the Rajya Sabha, with one seat being won by BJP's Ashwini Vaishnaw with the support of the BJD.
The seven BJD Rajya Sabha MPs, namely Sulata Deo, Sasmit Patra, Manas Mangaraj, Niranjan Bishi, Munna Khan, Debasish Samantray, and Subhashish Khuntia, have been the pillars of the party in the Upper House of Parliament. However, with the recent turn of events, senior BJD leader and former minister Amar Satpathy has called for introspection within the party. He believes that the resignation of two MPs is a serious matter and requires the party to reflect and take necessary measures.
On the other hand, there are speculations that more BJD MPs might follow the footsteps of Mohanta and Kumar and join the BJP. However, BJD Rajya Sabha MP Manas Mangaraj has reassured that all BJD MPs are firmly standing with their leader Naveen Patnaik. He also expressed his disapproval of the BJP's way of luring elected members from other parties, calling it a "murder of democracy". Mangaraj also expressed his disappointment with Kumar's resignation, stating that it was a betrayal of trust and a letdown for the party and the people of Kalahandi.
Political analyst Braja Kishore Mishra believes that the BJP's recent success in attracting two BJD MPs might lead to more such incidents in the future. When asked if he has been approached by the BJP, BJD MP Niranjan Bishi clarified that he has had no contact with any BJP leader and believes that the resignations were purely for self-interest.
BJD MP Sulata Deo has also assured that the party's Parliamentary Party remains intact despite the recent events. Meanwhile, Mohanta, who recently joined the BJP after resigning from the BJD, has claimed that there might be more desertions from the BJD in the future. She believes that there are many dissatisfied leaders within the BJD who might follow her and Kumar's footsteps.
BJD's Chief Whip in the Assembly, Pramila Mallik, has brushed off the resignations of Kumar and Mohanta, stating that it will have no impact on the party. As discussions continue about the future of the BJD and the political landscape of Odisha, all eyes are on how the party will handle the current situation and whether they will be able to retain their stronghold in the state. This is PTI, reporting on the recent developments in the BJD and BJP in Odisha.
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