Bhubaneswar: Hours after being expelled from BJD following his resignation from Rajya Sabha, Sujeet Kumar joined the BJP at its party headquarters in New Delhi on Friday.
Union Minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan, Cuttack MP Bhratruhari Mahatab and other BJP leaders were present on the occasion.
Kumar was elected to Rajya Sabha from the BJD in April 2020.
Speaking to the media, Kumar alleged that he was being threatened for last couple of years and asked to licking the feet of a few people in the regional party. “I was being systematically sidelined in the party. BJD leaders from district to state level were involved in corruption of thousands of crores which affected development of Kalahandi. There is evidence and it will be made public in the coming days… I took this step (resigning from BJD) in the interest of Kalahandi and my self-respect.”
He added the expulsion letter came after he had resigned from BJD.
WHY DID HE JOIN BJP?
1) Strengthen BJP: Following the latest round of elections to the Rajya Sabha, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance reached the majority mark of 119, including six nominated MPs and one Independent, in the House, after adding 12 more members to its ranks. The party alone has 96 members in the Upper House, which currently has 237 members. On July 31, the BJP gained a member from Odisha after Mamata Mahata was re-elected unopposed from the party after resigning from Rajya Sabha and primary membership of BJD. The party will also win the bypoll to the seat vacated by Kumar as it has majority in the Odisha Assembly with 78 MLAs.
The ‘Operation Lotus’ as being claimed by the BJD will help the saffron party further improve its strength in the House of Elders, which is crucial for passing important bills.
The BJP is also likely to use him to target bureaucrat-turned-politician V K Pandian, who is being blamed for BJD’s electoral loss. Pandian is believed to have promoted Sujeet in BJD and got him RS seat. Sujeet was also seen as a close associate of Pandian.
2) Weaken BJD: Sujeet’s resignation came a day after the BJD decided to the oppose Wakf Bill in Rajya Sabha. Following the drubbing in the twin polls earlier this year, the regional party announced it would shed its 10-year-long policy of issue-based support to the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and play the role of a “strong and vibrant” Opposition in Rajya Sabha with its nine members, which had become all the more important to stay relevant since the party had drawn a blank in the Lok Sabha polls and was reduced to 51 seats in the state Assembly.
However, Mamata’s resignation brought its strength down to eight. With Sujeet’s exit, the number is down to seven now.
Also Read: Second Big Blow To BJD In Rajya Sabha As Sujeet Kumar Does A Mamata Mahanta
3) Personal benefit for Sujeet: According to political analysts, Sujeet is likely to benefit more by joining BJP as it is in power both in the state and the Centre. He may also get RS renomination like Mamata or other organisational or political positions. The saffron party might have also promised political rehabilitation to him in future as part of the deal.
