Odisha: BJD MP Debashish Samantaray Resigns in Protest

Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal has suffered another high-profile resignation after Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray walked away from both the party and his legislative seat. The seasoned politician accused the leadership of orchestrating his systematic sidelining. In a sharply worded letter addressed to Naveen Patnaik, Samantaray thanked the former Chief Minister for giving him an opportunity to represent undivided Cuttack in Parliament. However, he said recent months had seen a deliberate campaign to undermine his contributions, prompting him to prioritise public interest over personal loyalty. Following his party resignation, Samantaray travelled to the national capital and handed over his Rajya Sabha resignation to Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan. With this exit, three BJD members have now left the Upper House midway through their tenure. Samantaray’s departure is particularly noteworthy because he was hand-picked by Patnaik for the Rajya Sabha ticket last February. Observers see the move as another indicator of growing unease among second-rung leaders in the regional outfit. While stepping down, the former MP reiterated his commitment to Odisha’s development, suggesting his political activism will continue outside formal party structures.