Senior BJD leader calls for introspection in party after 2 party MPs quit party to join BJP

Bhubaneswar: With two Rajya Sabha MPs of opposition Biju Janata Dal quitting the party within one month and joining the BJP, a leader of the regional outfit called for introspection in the party while others claimed that it will have no impact on the BJD.

The resignation of Mamata Mohanta and Sujeet Kumar from the BJD and joining the BJP, has come as a major blow for the regional outfit which ruled Odisha for 24-years.

With the resignation of Mohanata and Kumar, BJD, which has no member in the Lok Sabha for the first time since its inception in 1997, now has seven MPs in the Rajya Sabha. Odisha has 10 Raya Sabha seats of which 9 were with BJD and one BJP's Ashwini Vaishnaw was elected to the Upper House of Parliament with the support of the BJD.

The seven BJD Rajya Sabha MPs are - Sulata Deo, Sasmit Patra, Manas Mangaraj, Niranjan Bishi, Munna Khan, Debasish Samantray and Subhashish Khuntia.

Senior BJD leader and former minister Amar Satpathy called for introspection in the party following the resignation of the two MPs.

"If any ordinary member quits the party, it may not have any impact, If an MP quits, it changes the situation. Therefore, we need an introspection and take measures accordingly," Satpathy said.

With specualation rife that more BJD MPs may join the BJP, BJD Raya Sabha MP Manas Mangaraj claimed that all BJD MPs are behind Naveen Patnaik.

"… We will always stand by Naveen Patnaik and BJD through thick and thin. At the same time, people will never accept the way @BJP4India is undemocratically poaching elected lawmakers of other parties to boost its own numbers. This is sheer murder of democracy", Mangaraj posed on X.

Mangaraj described Kumar's resignation as "unfortunate and betrayal of trust".

"You (Kumar) only know how much trust our beloved leader Naveen Patnaik reposed in you. You got everything from him. BJD honoured and rewarded you always. But, the way you deserted the party at this crucial juncture and joined another, really pained us. We, at BJD as well as the people of Kalahandi feel let down," Mangaraj said.

"The BJP has already taken two wickets in a span of one month. One should not be suprised if it attracts more Rajya Sabha MPs from the BJD," said political analyst Braja Kishore Mishra.

Asked whether the BJP has contacted him, Niranjan Bishi said: "I am not in touch with any BJP leader. The people who have quit the BJD, have gone for their self-interest." BJD MP Sulata Deo also claimed that the BJD’s Parliamentary Party is intact.

Meanwhile, Mohanta Saturday claimed that there was possibility of further influx from BJD as there are many disgruntled elements in the Naveen Patnaik-led regional party. Mohanta recently quit the BJD and subsequently became a Rajya Sabha member of the BJP.

"There are many leaders feeling suffocated in the BJD and some of them may quit the regional party like me and Sujeet Kumar in the future," Mohanta said.

BJD's Chief Whip in the Assembly Pramila Mallik claimed that Kumar and Mohanta's resignation will have no impact on the BJD.