Odisha Assembly Polls: 2 Block Chairmen Resign From BJD Over Probable Candidate In Malkangiri

Malkangiri: Two block chairmen of BJD have resigned from the party reportedly in protest against probable candidate for Chitrakonda Assembly constituency in Odisha’s Malakngiri district.

According to sources, Bighna Kirsan, the chairman of Khairaput block and Mahesh Baka of Mathili block along with their supporters had gone to attend a party meeting in Mathili on Sunday. A section of BJD workers raised slogans in support of the candidature for Laxmipriya Nayak in Chitrakonda Assembly segment.

Though Bighna and Mahesh opposed the proposal, they were sidelined by the supporters of Laxmipriya in the meeting. Apprehending that the party would allot the ticket to her, the two block chairmen along with several sarpanchs and BJD workers resigned from the party on Monday.

“We oppose Laxmipriya as a leader to get BJD ticket in Chitrakonda constituency. We have resigned in protest against the move in her support by a section of party leaders and workers. We will stick to our decision if the party nominates her. If any other leader is fielded in the election, we will return to the party and work for letting him/her elected,” they told the media.

In the last elections in 2019, Purnachandra Baka of BJD had won the election from Chitrakonda by defeating Laxmipriya, who had contested as Congress nominee, by more than 2,500 votes.