BJD Removes Soumya Ranjan Patnaik from Party Vice President Post

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo Naveen Patnaik removed senior party leader Soumya Ranjan Patnaik from the post of party vice-president with immediate effect on Tuesday.

An office order regarding it signed by Naveen Patnaik was issued by the BJD.

During past few months, Soumya Ranjan Patnaik was too critical about the functioning of the BJD. He openly stated this in public meetings as well as in his signed editorials publishd in the Odia newspaper owned and edited by him.

His statements had led to controversies within the BJD and he was openly criticized by other BJD leaders. This had led to verbal warfare between Soumya Ranjan Patnaik and some senior BJD leaders.

Soumya Ranjan Patnaik represents the Khandapada assembly seat in the assembly.

The Khandapada MLA rubbished the allegations that he had violated the party discipline. “I have raised certain issues for the greater interests of the party. Every worker or activist in a democratic party has the right to differ on some issues. We cannot term this as an act of indiscipline,” he said.