BJD removes Panda as parliamentary party spokesperson

Baijayant Panda, who recently made several remarks on social media over party matters, was on Friday removed from the post of the spokesperson of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) parliamentary party.

"Naveen Patnaik, president, BJD has removed Baijayanta Panda, MP from being the spokesperson of BJD's Parliamentary Party today with immediate effect," BJD vice- president S N Patra said in a statement.

Panda was recently in the news for his newspaper articles and a series of comments on social media. Patnaik had earlier requested senior BJD leaders not to go to social media or media on party matters.

The BJD president had also recently said that senior leaders should come to him for discussion before going to the media.

 

Panda had in his tweet after Sunday's Odisha ministry reshuffle cautioned about possible resentment if the party reshuffled ministers without representation of all districts. He had also cited the examples of two leaders - Jajpur's Amar Nayak and Koraput's Jayaram Pangi - quitting the party on two consecutive days.

Pangi had later joined the BJP.

"One gone yesterday, another today. Yet when I cautioned last week, was contradicted. Now large sections unrepresented, resentment everywhere??" Panda had tweeted on May 9, 2017.

Panda's tweet remarks had created a flutter in the party as he made the remarks in the social media despite Patnaik's direction.

Panda was not available for his comments on the development.