Have Not Resigned, Still With BJP, Clarifies Sambalpur MP Nitesh Ganga Deb

Bhubaneswar: Hours after a Facebook post of his announcing his resignation went viral, Sambalpur MP Nitesh Ganga Deb on Monday clarified that he was very much with the BJP.

A local channel quoted him as saying that his Facebook has been hacked and he is also willing to campaign for the party in Deogarh from where his wife, Arundhati Kumari Devi, is contesting as an MLA candidate of the BJD.

The FB post had citied reason reasons for his decision to quit the BJP. “I am taking a break from active politics due to my poor health condition and tendering from resignation.”

It also mentioned Ganga Deb, who belongs to Bamra royal family, seeking support of the people of Deogarh Assembly segment for his wife.

On April 17, the BJD nominated Arundhati from Deogarh, which is now represented by Subash Panigrahy of BJP, a day after she and her son Naman Gangdev joined the regional party.

The induction of the Deogarh queen and her son into BJD assumed significance for the Sambalpur LS seat which is witnessing a direct contest between senior BJP leader and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJD organisational secretary Pranab Prakash Das. Dharmendra has replaced Ganga Deb as the BJP candidate from the parliamentary constituency.