11 BJD members, including the Vice-Chairperson of Belpahar BJD, resign from the party after leader’s suspension

Jharsuguda: Four days after the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) suspended Belpahar leader Hitesh Thakkar on charges of alleged anti-party activities, the party suffered a major setback in Jharsuguda district as Belpahar Municipality Vice-Chairperson Rina Suna, nine municipal councillors and Jharsuguda district BJD social media coordinator Tausif Alam also resigned from the party on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference in Belpahar, the leaders announced that their resignation letters would be forwarded to BJD president Naveen Patnaik.

The councillors, namely Judhistir Mukhi, Ward No. 11; Niki Kalo of Ward No. 12, Sanjib Kishan of Ward No. 10, Sakuntala Mohanta, Ward No. 7, Asha Tripathy of Ward No.17, Sanjay Yadav of Ward no. 8, Jyotirmayee Pattnaik of Ward No.3, Arjina Begum of Ward No. 1 and Kiran Marai of Ward No.18

Vice-Chairperson Rina Suna alleged that the resignations were triggered by the party’s continued neglect of its workers and the suspension of Hitesh Thakkar without assigning any valid reason. She claimed that the decision was taken unilaterally, prompting the elected representatives and party workers to quit in protest. According to her, more than 200 BJD workers have also resigned in support of the move.

“Today, after the party suspended my elder brother Hitesh Thakkar through a one-sided decision, all 9 councillors and more than 200 BJD workers have tendered their resignation from the party,” Belpahar Vice Chairperson Rina Suna said.

Suspended BJD leader Hitesh Thakkar questioned the action against him, saying, “The party suspended me without any valid reason. In protest against this decision, around 11 BJD members of Belpahar BJD have resigned in my support. At the very least, the party should have informed me why I was suspended.”

Rina Suna clarified that the Vice-Chairperson and the councillors have resigned only from the BJD and not from their elected positions in the Belpahar Municipality. She also stated that they have no immediate plans to join any other political party.

At the other end, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has strongly reacted to the recent announcement by BJD councillors at a press conference in Belpahar that they were resigning from the party.

The party alleged that the leaders who announced their resignation had already been involved in anti-party activities and had worked against the party during the last elections, causing damage to the organisation.

According to BJD leaders, the individual leading the resignation move had remained inactive in the party’s organisational activities since suffering defeat in the elections. They also alleged that despite repeated appeals by the party’s MLA, several councillors failed to attend important meetings, adversely affecting developmental works in Belpahar.

The party asserted that the resignation of the councillors who have resigned would have no impact on the BJD’s organisational strength. Instead, it said the party would focus on mobilising new workers and further strengthening the organisation.

BJD leaders also maintained that the councillors, who were elected on BJD tickets and have now announced their decision to quit the party, should, on moral grounds, also resign from their positions as municipal councillors.