Big jolt to Naveen Patnaik-led BJD as party Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Mohanta resigns

Taking to her social media handle, Mohanta tweeted, “I sincerely express my gratitude for giving me an opportunity to serve the people of Mayurbhanj and also take the cause of Odisha to the national level. However, I feel that there is no requirement for the services of myself as well as my community in the BJD. Therefore, I have taken this hard decision in the public interest.”

Mamata Mohanta was elected to the Upper House of the Parliament from Odisha as a member of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). She was elected unopposed among the four candidates for the four seats from Odisha in 2020.

“I have received a letter today from Mamata Mohanta, a member representing the state of Odisha, resigning her seat in the Rajya Sabha. She has resigned by writing a letter. I found it to be constitutionally in order and hence accepted her resignation,” said Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.

With the resignation of Mamata Mohanta, the BJD’s strength in Rajya Sabha has dropped to eight.

Many leaders have left the BJD after the party lost power to the BJP in the assembly elections held simultaneously with Lok Sabha polls early this year.

The BJD which had got 12 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 could not open its account this time. While the BJP got 20 seats, the Congress won one.

Reports from Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district and Jajpur said intense bickerings have started in the BJD as local leaders blame each other for their defeats in the Lok Sabha and assembly polls.

Though the BJD won 51 of the 147 assembly seats, party president and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik is finding it hard to hold his flock together.