Ending a year-long acrimonious relationship with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Kendrapara's suspended Member of Parliament Baijayant Panda today resigned from the BJD, leading to speculation the industrialist turned politician could join the BJP.
In his three-page-long resignation letter to BJD president Naveen Patnaik, Panda said he was "hurt and unhappy" that members of the ruling party did not attend the funeral of his industrialist father Bansidhar Panda who passed away on May 22.
"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," Panda said in the letter to Patnaik.
The four-time MP, representing the party, also said that he was heartbroken to find out that several BJD leaders were "restrained" from attending the funeral service.
Panda was elected to Rajya Sabha twice from 2000 to 2009 and later to Lok Sabha from Kendrapara segment in 2009 and 2014.
"It is with deep anguish, hurt and sorrow that I have decided to quit the kind of politics into which our BJD has descended," he said in the letter.
The ruling BJD, however, preferred not to comment on the content of the resignation letter before completion of Dr Bansidhar Panda's 11th day rituals.
Confirming receipt of Panda's resignation letter to Patnaik, the BJD vice-president Devi Prasad Mishra said, "Yes, Panda's resignation letter has reached the BJD president. The CM has already expressed his deep condolence over Dr Bansidhar Panda's demise. As the MP's family has been mourning, the party will not give any statement on his resignation now. We will put forth our view on the matter at an appropriate time."
When asked whether the BJP will admit Panda after his resignation from the BJD, senior BJP leader and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said: "All good people who have trust on the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah are welcome in BJP."
Meanwhile, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik described Panda as a "good parliamentarian" and said: "The leader of the ruling party should have gone to pay respect to Dr Bansidhar Panda. It looks wrong to the outside world that the chief minister and the BJD leaders did not pay tribute to the state's noted industrialist."
The OPCC president also said, "We will welcome anyone who is committed to work for Odisha's interest."
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