Former Khandapada MLA Anubhav Patnaik Resigns from BJD Over Ticket Denial

Bhubaneswar: Former MLA Anubhav Patnaik resigned from the primary membership of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) after the party announced Sabitri Pradhan as its candidate for the Khandapada Assembly seat.

In his resignation letter to BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Anubhav expressed disappointment at being overlooked for the ticket for the second consecutive time.

Anubhav, who previously represented Khandapada in the Assembly, highlighted his family’s long-standing association with the BJD, emphasizing his parents’ contributions to the party. He criticized the party’s decision to field an outsider, Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, in the 2019 elections, despite his own loyalty and service to the constituency.

The announcement of Sabitri Pradhan’s candidacy comes after Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, who won the seat in 2019, was expelled from the party in September 2023.