Sujit Kumar, a Rajya Sabha member from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), has stepped down from his position in the Upper House of Parliament. His resignation was officially accepted by Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankar. Following his exit from BJD, Kumar announced his decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the party’s headquarters in Delhi, in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and other senior leaders.
Kumar Joins BJP After Resignation
Shortly after submitting his resignation, Sujit Kumar formally joined the BJP, signaling his shift to the national ruling party. He expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leaders, stating, “It is a significant decision for me to leave the Rajya Sabha, but I have done so to ensure the development of Kalahandi, my home district, which has suffered under BJD rule.” Kumar further alleged that corruption within the BJD had hampered the progress of Kalahandi, claiming, “Crores of rupees were misused, and I could not remain silent any longer.”
BJD Expels Sujit Kumar
Responding swiftly to the resignation, BJD President and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expelled Kumar from the party, citing “anti-party activities.” Patnaik stated that Kumar had betrayed the party’s trust, which had sent him to represent Odisha in the Rajya Sabha. The BJD leadership accused Kumar of ignoring the party’s efforts and letting down the aspirations of Kalahandi’s people.
In an official statement, Patnaik remarked, “Kumar has failed to uphold the values of the party, which believed in him.” This action follows a similar event last month, when another BJD leader, Mamata Mohanta, resigned from the Rajya Sabha and joined the BJP.
Kumar’s Allegations Against BJD
After joining the BJP, Sujit Kumar outlined the reasons behind his resignation, accusing the BJD of sidelining him and neglecting his efforts to address corruption. He claimed that his criticism of financial irregularities in Kalahandi led to indirect threats from party members. “I was sidelined and ignored in BJD. My attempts to highlight the corruption in Kalahandi were met with resistance, and I had no choice but to resign in the interest of my region,” Kumar stated.
Kumar also dismissed his expulsion from the BJD as “ridiculous,” pointing out that he had already resigned before the party issued the expulsion order.
Impact On BJD’s Strength in Rajya Sabha
Sujit Kumar’s departure is the second instance in recent months of a BJD leader leaving the party and joining the BJP. With his resignation, the BJD’s strength in the Rajya Sabha has now reduced to seven members from its earlier count of nine. The party currently holds no seats in the Lok Sabha.
This shift follows the resignation of Mamata Mohanta, a leader from the Kudumi community, who recently left the BJD and was re-elected to the Rajya Sabha on a BJP ticket in a by-election.
