The expelled BJD MP Sujeet Kumar on Friday joined the BJP after resigning from the Rajya Sabha. Kumar joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, MP Bhartruhari Mahatab, the party's Odisha in-charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar in Delhi. After joining the BJP, Kumar addressed the media and said, "I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders. It is a big decision for me to resign from the Rajya Sabha. Kalahandi, my native place, did not witness development during the BJD regime due to rampant corruption."
"Crores of rupees were looted in Kalahandi. Some BJD leaders, government officers and others were involved in financial irregularities. I raised my voice against corruption. I resigned from Rajya Sabha to protect the interest of Kalahandi," Kumar added. He also claimed, "I was ignored and sidelined in the BJD. I was indirectly threatened to be removed from the party...It is ridiculous that I was expelled as I had resigned from the party before the BJD issued the expulsion order."
Kumar tendered resignation to Dhankhar
Earlier, he tendered in resignation to the Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. In his resignation letter, he said, "I take this opportunity to express my profuse gratitude to you for the opportunities provided to me to raise issues of public importance, and of my state Odisha, in the House." He also thanked Naveen Patnaik for sending him to the Rajya Sabha.
Expelled from BJD for anti-party activity
Sujeet Kumar was expelled by the BJD for "anti-party activities", soon after he tendered his resignation. The opposition BJD slammed Kumar by saying he has "let down the party" which sent him to the Rajya Sabha. In an order, BJD president and former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik said that Mr Kumar has also let the aspirations of the people of Kalahandi down.
Second BJD MP resignation
Notably, Kumar's resignation comes a month after Kudumi community leader Mamata Mohanta resigned from the Rajya Sabha and the BJD. She was recently elected unopposed to the Upper House of Parliament as a BJP MP. After two resignations, the strength of BJD has been reduced in the Rajya Sabha from 9 to 7. The party has no members in the Lok Sabha.
(With PTI Inputs)
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