Odisha Polls: Former Kakatpur MLA Of BJD Surendra Sethi Resigns From Party

Bhubaneswar: Another former MLA of BJD in Odisha resigned from the party on Tuesday after being denied of nomination for Assembly elections.

Former MLA from Kakatpur in Puri district, Surendra Sethi, tendered his resignation from primary membership of the party to BJD president Naveen Patnaik. The BJD has renominated Tusharkanti Behera for the seat in the ensuing elections.

Sethi had come out victorious on BJD ticket from Kakatpur in 2014 elections. But the ruling party dropped him in 2019 and allotted the ticket to Behera in 2019. Though Sethi was dissatisfied with the decision, he continued to look after the organisation affairs of the party. He functioned as state council member of the BJD till tendering his resignation.

Sethi hoped the BJD leadership would nominate him in 2024 elections considering his contributions towards party organisation in the constituency. But he apparently felt betrayed as Behera was again nominated for the seat.

Earlier in the day, former BJD MLA from Karanjia Bijay Kumar Naik resigned from the party saying he was neglected for a long time.

Naik, who was elected from Karanjia in Mayurbhanj district in 2009 and 2014, alleged that he was neglected in the ruling BJD though he worked hard to strengthen the party organisation in Mayurbhanj district during 2019 general elections.

Also Read: Former Karanjia MLA Bijay Naik Quits BJD Ahead Of Elections In Odisha