Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) faced another setback on September 6 as Sujeet Kumar, one of its MPs, resigned from the Rajya Sabha. This is the second time a BJD MP has quit the Upper House, following Mamata Mohanta’s resignation earlier. Mamata was again re-elected to Rajya Sabha after joining the BJP.
Later Sujeet Kumar joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the party headquarters in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Odisha in-charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar, Party’s national General Secretary Arun Singh and MP Bhartuhari Mahatab.
“Today, I have resigned from the membership of Rajya Sabha. I was elected to Rajya Sabha in 2020 from BJD. It is a happy day for me as I am getting involved with a major national party. I have been inspired by the vision of Vikshit Bharat and Odisha,” said Sujeet Kumar after joining BJP
“I believe in nation first policy and I stayed in abroad for a long time; I wanted to work for the KBK region and the nation. Hence, I quitted BJD as the development which would have happened in Kalahandi, it did not happen due to corruption by district BJD leaders and from outside. I tried to bring it to the notice of senior leaders, it was not possible,” he further said.
“In the last one and half years, BJD had neglected me which was not the case earlier. Attempts were made to systematically sideline me. Some leaders said that big leaders of the party were unhappy as they wanted me to touch their feet and follow their instructions. I have no problem in touching anyone’s feet if he/she is elder to me. I was asked to do slavery for such leaders in BJD. It was for this reason that I was sidelined,” alleged Sujeet
Originally from Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district, Kumar (48) has an MBA degree from Oxford University and a masters’ degree in public administration. Before joining BJD, Kumar had also worked with the World Economic Forum and United Nations Development Programme.
Resignation of two Rajya Sabha members of the BJD within a month comes as a major setback to the party, especially in light of its defeat in both Lok Sabha and assembly polls this year.
Kumar’s resignation reduces BJD’s Rajya Sabha count to seven. Odisha has ten seats, and the BJP, with one member, Ashwini Vaishnaw, who won with BJD support, increased its tally to two after the recent by-election. The BJP is poised to claim Kumar’s vacated seat due to its state assembly majority.
