Former Deputy Speaker of Odisha Assembly, Ram Chandra Panda Leaves BJD

Bhubaneswar: Former Deputy Speaker of Odisha Assembly, Rama Chandra Panda, resigned from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday.

He sent his resignation letter to the BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik citing ‘ticket denial’ as the reason behind his quitting the party.

Rama Chandra Panda left the BJP to join the BJD in 2017 ahead of the panchayat elections.

He was elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly in 2000 on a BJP ticket from Chhatrapur in Ganjam district. He was the Deputy Speaker from 2000 to 2004.

In 2014, he contested on a BJP ticket from Berhampur Lok Sabha seat but finished third.