Odisha MP Sujeet Kumar Resigns from Rajya Sabha, BJD Expels Him; He Joins BJP

Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) expelled Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar on Friday, citing “anti-party activities.” This decision came shortly after Kumar submitted his resignation from the Rajya Sabha.

The BJD criticised Kumar for betraying the party, which had nominated him to the Upper House. In a statement, BJD president and Odisha’s former chief minister Naveen Patnaik said Kumar had “disappointed the aspirations of the people of Kalahandi.”

In his resignation letter addressed to the Rajya Sabha chairman, Kumar said he made the decision “consciously” and thanked the leadership for the opportunity to raise issues concerning Odisha in Parliament.

Hours after tendering his resignation, Kumar joined the BJP in New Delhi in the presence of senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan and others.

Kumar’s exit follows the resignation of Kudumi community leader Mamata Mohanta from both the Rajya Sabha and the BJD last month. She was later elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha as a BJP candidate.