Odisha's Leader of Opp quits Congress, protests caste politics

Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh along with legislature party secretary Anup Sai resigned from the Congress in Odisha today alleging caste politics and joined the the ruling BJD.
"The state unit of the party is not functioning as it should. It should be above caste politics," Singh said in a letter addressed to Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
Apparently referring to Union Minister Srikant Jena and OPCC President Jaydev Jena, Singh wrote, "Party cannot function at the whims of two or three individuals many of whom do not subscribe to party ideology."
Requesting Sonia Gandhi to accept his resignation, Singh claimed that many senior leaders felt ignored. "Even the coordination committee is ignored."

Asked who he blamed for the prevailing situation in Congress, Singh said "One of them is Srikant Jena."
Singh revealed that he was told by the party's state leadership to resign from the post of Leader of Opposition after end of the last session of the Assembly.

"I was told that a dalit has been OPCC president and the leader of Opposition should be from tribal community. I asked them what is the point to make a tribal leader of Opposition when there is no session of Assembly," Singh said.
Meanwhile, BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik welcomed Singh and Sai into his party.

"I am delighted that Singh, leader of opposition, Sai, MLA from Brajrajnagar and young leader from Kalahandi Ranjit Singh have joined BJD," Patnaik said.