Belpahad: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) suffered a major organisational setback in Belpahad Municipality on Tuesday after more than two-thirds of its elected corporators resigned from the party’s primary membership, citing dissatisfaction with the functioning of the party in the Brajarajnagar Assembly constituency.
The resignation letters were addressed to BJD president Naveen Patnaik through the party’s Jharsuguda district president. District social media coordinator Tosif Alam also resigned from the party.
The announcement was made at a press conference held at the Belpahad Municipal Kalyan Mandap in the presence of suspended senior BJD leader Hitesh Thakkar.
In their resignation letter, the corporators expressed respect for Naveen Patnaik’s leadership, stating that his vision for Odisha’s development and commitment to public service had always inspired them. However, they said the prevailing organisational situation in the Brajarajnagar Assembly constituency had made it impossible for them to continue working in the party.
The leaders alleged that grassroots workers and elected representatives were being consistently ignored and denied due respect despite their efforts to strengthen the organisation and serve the public. They claimed their concerns had repeatedly gone unheard.
The resigning corporators attributed the situation primarily to the leadership and functioning of former Brajarajnagar MLA Alka Mohanty. They said they had always respected her position and had never acted against her, but alleged that the continued neglect of party workers and elected representatives had left them deeply disappointed.
The corporators clarified that their decision was neither against Naveen Patnaik nor the ideals of the BJD. They also said the suspension of Hitesh Thakkar had deeply hurt them, adding that the Belpahad municipal unit had been functioning under his guidance.
Those who resigned include Yudhishthir Munda (Ward No. 11), Nikki Kalo (Ward No. 12), Shanti Kishan (Ward No. 10), Shakuntala Mohanta (Ward No. 7), Asha Tripathi (Ward No. 17), Sanjay Yadav (Ward No. 8), Jyotirmayee Patnaik (Ward No. 3), Arjina Begum (Ward No. 1), Kiran Maral (Ward No. 18), along with the Deputy Chairperson of Belpahad Municipality Rina Suna.
In their resignation letter, the leaders wished Naveen Patnaik good health and success in serving the people of Odisha.
The mass resignation has triggered speculation about the strength of the BJD organisation in Belpahad Municipality, with political observers viewing it as a significant setback for the party in the region.
