Bhubaneswar: The chairman of Dharmasala block in Jajpur district, Pravat Balabantray, resigned from his position citing personal reasons. This development comes after more than 38 samiti members and sarpanches had moved a no-confidence motion against him on August 11.
A special meeting was scheduled for August 22 to discuss the motion, but Balawantray submitted his resignation letter to the Block Development Officer (BDO) before the meeting could take place.
In a video message after his resignation, he stated that he took this decision in the interest of the safety and security of panchayat representatives. He expressed gratitude to the residents of the block for their support and affection during his tenure. Balabantray was elected as the Dharmashala Block Chairman twice since 2017 and has been serving the block under the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party.
As the younger brother of former MLA Pranab Balabantray of Dharmashala, Pratava Balawantray’s resignation marks a significant development in local politics. The Dharmashala block comprises 45 panchayats.
