Bhubaneswar: Days after expressing his discontent over being sidelined in BJP, former Bijepur MLA Ashok Panigrahi Saturday resigned from the primary membership of the party ahead of Bijepur bypoll.
Panigrahi, who joined BJP after quitting BJD back in 2018, sent his resignation letter to the party’s state unit president Basant Panda.
Speaking to reporters, Panigrahi said, “The party was having a use-and-throw attitude towards me and has ignored me on a number of occasions quite like Damodar Rout. The party leadership neither took me into confidence while taking decisions nor gave any responsibility during the general election or bypoll. That led me to take this decision.”
While he is yet to take a call on his future plans and position during the bypoll, multiple sources close to him suggested that he will go back to Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
“I won’t join anywhere before the polls. I don’t have any plans to join BJD as of now. I will reveal my plans after consulting with my supporters,” said Panigrahi who won from Bijepur seat in 2000 on BJD ticket.
That said, his resignation is said to bear a negative impact for the saffron party as it might lead to division of traditional BJP votes, experts opined.
Panigrahi was denied a ticket by BJD as Bijepur went to a bypoll February 2018 following the death of sitting congress MLA Subal Sahu. The conch party instead chose to field Sahu’s window Rita Sahu who switched camps and joined BJD following her husband’s death. That led Panigrahi to defect to BJP and get a ticket for the poll. That said, Panigrahi had to bite the dust as Rita emerged victorious with a margin of 41,933 votes. Panigrahi, in turn, was denied a ticket during general election 2019 by BJP.
The saffron party has fielded Sanat Gartia as its candidate for the bypoll scheduled to be held October 21.