Bhubaneswar: Just hours after Debashish Samantaray’s resignation, the BJD on Monday took a sharp dig at him, suggesting he may be eyeing the posts of Prime Minister or President.
The Rajya Sabha member resigned from the primary membership of BJD, alleging that he had been “systematically belittled in the party”. He later resigned from his position as an MP and submitted his resignation letter to Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan.
Speaking to the media, senior BJD leader Pramila Mallik said that the party gave him tickets to contest from two assembly constituencies – Cuttack-Barabati and Tirtol. “He was also appointed as district president. After losing th
e polls, he was appointed as the chairman of Film Development Corporation. He was later sent to the Rajya Sabha,” she said, stressing that he deserted the BJD while it is in Opposition after taking all benefits from the party when it ruled the state.
Pramila added that Samantaray perhaps decided to switch sides to BJP since there is no scope in the regional party to climb ladders to the posts of Prime Minister or President. “The BJP may make him Prime Minister or President of India,” she quipped.
Dismissing suggestions that Samantaray’s resignation was a setback to the party, the BJD leader claimed that his exit would instead strengthen the organisation in Cuttack. “He left the party to protect his business interests. He was in politics to do business and not to serve the people. He may be expecting the BJP’s ‘washing machine’ to wipe away any mess created in an inebriated state,” she said.
After Mamata Mahanta and Sujeet Kumar, Samantaray is the third Rajya Sabha member from BJD to switch sides to BJP. With his resignation, BJD’s strength in Rajya Sabha has come down to five. He is also likely to be renominated to the Upper House on BJP ticket as was the case with Mamata and Sujeet.