BJD MP Debashish Samantaray quits party, resigns from Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: In another setback for the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha, senior party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray on Monday resigned from the party.

In his letter to BJD president Naveen Patnaik, Samantaray wrote: "I feel that, off late, I have been systematically belittled in the party and that the party does not require my services. Therefore, I have taken this hard decision in the public interest and request you to accept my resignation."

Later in the day, Samantaray met Vice President CP Radhakrishnan and submitted his resignation from the Rajya Sabha. With Samantaray's resignation, the number of BJD MPs in the Upper House has come down to five.


"I will meet BJP president Nitin Nabin and join the party on Tuesday," Samantaray told ET. Odisha chief minister Mohan Majhi and Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal will also be present during his induction into the BJP.