Odisha CM Patnaik suspends Panda from BJD

Bijayant Panda, the suave Biju Janata Dal MP from Kendrapara and a known critic of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, was on Wednesday suspended from the party for “weakening” it.

The announcement about the suspension of Panda, who was said to be veering towards the Bharatiya Janata Party, was made by BJD vice-president and state minister S N Patro at a press conference.

“Party president Naveen Patnaik has suspended Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda from the primary membership of the BJD,” Patro told reporters.

Panda said he was “shocked” at the news.

“I am shocked at this news. Very very sad @Naveen_Odisha did not see thru the conspiracy against me led by an IAS offcr now controlling the party. I vehemently deny the allegations against me, they are entirely false and baseless. I will pray to Jagannath for guidance b4i respond further,” Panda tweeted soon after the announcement was made.

Patro, while making the announcement, said, “Sri Panda has been directly and indirectly indulging in activities aimed at weakening BJD, whether it is the Parliament, state, constituency or media space -- no opportunity was missed by Panda to criticise BJD and eulogise the opposition. His claims of being a founder member of BJD are totally false.”

He said Panda did not campaign for BJD candidates in elections to the Panchayati raj institutions even in his own constituency, and indulged in “anti-party activities”, supporting opposition candidates.

“That was totally against the interest of the party and its functionaries who have been responsible for sending him to Parliament four times,” Patro said.

He added that Panda, who was elected to the two houses of Parliament twice each on BJD ticket, had changed after being elected to Lok Sabha in 2014.

“After 2014 elections, Panda was desirous of becoming the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance in Lok Sabha and expressed the same to the party leadership.

“He also said that BJD being the fourth largest party in the Parliament, may not be favoured with the chairmanship of the standing committee on finance. However, if he is nominated, he stated, he would be able to lobby and get it,” Patro claimed.

He said the party leadership did not favour him.

Patro said Panda was suspended by Patnaik who took into account all these issues.