Bhubaneswar: The BJP on Friday maintained that the resignation of Dilip Ray and Bijoy Mohapatra will have no effect on the party.
“Were these two gentlemen, who have resigned, in the BJP? The duo had not attended any meeting of the party since a long time. The BJP is a big party which never ignores any of its party leaders. Their resignation will have no effect on the party,” State BJP spokesperson Golak Mahapatra told mediapersons here.
Coming down heavily on Ray and Mohapatra, BJP State vice-president Samir Mohanty said both the leaders are not used to work with the party workers.
“The DNA of Bijoy Mohapatra has the characteristic of forming a group in the party. But he could not succeed in that in the BJP. There are several instances where Mohapatra had deliberately provoked the party leadership so that he will be expelled from the party,” he pointed out.
Talking about the resignation of Ray over construction of a second bridge over Brahmani river and upgrading Ispat General Hospital (IGH) into a super speciality hospital in Rourkela, Mohanty said the decision of the former is a well-thought out plan to reap personal benefit.
“Since CBI is investigating the complicity of Ray in the coal scam during his tenure as the Union Coal minister, he was putting pressure on the central and state leaders to withdraw the case against him.” Mohanty pointed out.
Stating that both Ray and Mohapatra were opposing the party leadership in spite of being the party members, he said according to the disciplinary rules of the BJP, the party leadership would have expelled them as they had not attended three executive meeting of the party. But the party had exercised restraint since they were the senior leaders.
Meanwhile, the BJD in a statement on Friday said that the resignation of Ray and Mohapatra has proved that the BJP is a party that believes in tall talks.
It also hinted at the two leaders joining the BJD.
“Dilip Babu is a nice person. The Chief Minister will take a decision if he wants to join the party,” BJD leader Pratap Jena said.
Asked about the prospects of Bijoy Mohapatra on joining the BJD, he said the decision will be taken by the Chief Minister.
