Odisha Politics / Rajya Sabha Polls: Has The Skeletons Started Tumbling Out Of BJD’s Closest?
·3 weeks ago·4 min read
Key Points
The resignation of Jena comes a few days after Union home minister Amit Shah visited Odisha and held a closed-door meeting with party’state leaders.
Bhubaneswar, Mar 11: Has the skeletons started tumbling out from the Biju Janata Dal’s closet? The resignation of the party's former MP from Balasore, Rabindra Jena, from the primary membership of the party has set the tongue wagging in the political circles.
People have started wondering who after Rabindra Jena? Will his wife Subasini Jena, an MLA from Basta, side with the Bharatiya Janata Party-supported Rajya Sabha candidate Dilip Ray? What could be the hidden reason for Jena’s resignation?
Jena, in the past, faced CBI probe in the chit fund scam. Has his resignation anything to do with Rajya Sabha elections? Grapevine has it that a few other politicians like Pravat Ranjan Biswal and Prabhat Tripathy, who also faced identical probes, might have a consideration with regard to their present political affiliation. If such an incident takes place, this will upset the BJD’s apple cart ahead of the March 15 Rajya Sabha elections.
The resignation of Jena comes a few days after Union home minister Amit Shah visited Odisha and held a closed-door meeting with party’state leaders.
The BJP nominee is just eight short of the required 30 votes to sail through in the Rajya Sabha polls. If he manages to get the support of Subasini Jena, and the MLA sons of Prabhat Tripathy and Pravat Biswal, the gap will close further, making it easier for him to push the rival candidate Dr Datteswar Hota to the wall.
Like the BJD, the Congress which has got 14 legislators in the 147-member may witness the BJD kind of unsetting scenarios. Some of the lawmakers, as sources said, might resort to tactical absence, during the voting.
It needs to be noted that in a significant political development in Odisha, former Balasore Member of Parliament Rabindra Kumar Jena on late Tuesday evening resigned from the primary membership of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
Read more: Ex-MP Rabindra Jena Quits BJD; His Wife Subasini’s Rajya Sabha Stand Remains Unclear
Jena submitted his resignation letter to BJD president and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, citing personal reasons and circumstances for his decision to step down from the party.
In the letter, Jena requested that he be relieved immediately from all responsibilities associated with the party. He also expressed gratitude for the years he spent working with the BJD and described his association with the party as a memorable journey.
“I, Rabindra Kumar Jena, former Member of Parliament and former District President of BJD, Balasore, hereby submit my resignation from the primary membership of the Biju Janata Dal today. I have served as a disciplined member of the party for many years, working to strengthen the party organisation and to serve the people of Balasore. However, due to certain personal reasons and circumstances, I have taken the difficult decision to separate myself from the party,” Jena wrote in his resignation letter.
He further thanked the state leadership, colleagues and party workers of Balasore district for their support, respect and opportunities during his long association with the party.
Jena had represented the Balasore Lok Sabha constituency and was considered a prominent face of the BJD in the region. His sudden resignation has triggered speculation in political circles about the reasons behind his exit from the party.
Sources indicated that Jena is likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday. He may formally join the party at its state office in Bhubaneswar, with several supporters and local representatives expected to accompany him during the joining programme.
According to political observers, Jena had reportedly been dissatisfied with the BJD for some time and had not been actively participating in party programmes in recent days. His move is likely to add a new dimension to the political dynamics in Balasore and the state’s political landscape.
People have started wondering who after Rabindra Jena? Will his wife Subasini Jena, an MLA from Basta, side with the Bharatiya Janata Party-supported Rajya Sabha candidate Dilip Ray? What could be the hidden reason for Jena’s resignation?
Jena, in the past, faced CBI probe in the chit fund scam. Has his resignation anything to do with Rajya Sabha elections? Grapevine has it that a few other politicians like Pravat Ranjan Biswal and Prabhat Tripathy, who also faced identical probes, might have a consideration with regard to their present political affiliation. If such an incident takes place, this will upset the BJD’s apple cart ahead of the March 15 Rajya Sabha elections.
The resignation of Jena comes a few days after Union home minister Amit Shah visited Odisha and held a closed-door meeting with party’state leaders.
The BJP nominee is just eight short of the required 30 votes to sail through in the Rajya Sabha polls. If he manages to get the support of Subasini Jena, and the MLA sons of Prabhat Tripathy and Pravat Biswal, the gap will close further, making it easier for him to push the rival candidate Dr Datteswar Hota to the wall.
Like the BJD, the Congress which has got 14 legislators in the 147-member may witness the BJD kind of unsetting scenarios. Some of the lawmakers, as sources said, might resort to tactical absence, during the voting.
It needs to be noted that in a significant political development in Odisha, former Balasore Member of Parliament Rabindra Kumar Jena on late Tuesday evening resigned from the primary membership of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
Read more: Ex-MP Rabindra Jena Quits BJD; His Wife Subasini’s Rajya Sabha Stand Remains Unclear
Jena submitted his resignation letter to BJD president and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, citing personal reasons and circumstances for his decision to step down from the party.
In the letter, Jena requested that he be relieved immediately from all responsibilities associated with the party. He also expressed gratitude for the years he spent working with the BJD and described his association with the party as a memorable journey.
“I, Rabindra Kumar Jena, former Member of Parliament and former District President of BJD, Balasore, hereby submit my resignation from the primary membership of the Biju Janata Dal today. I have served as a disciplined member of the party for many years, working to strengthen the party organisation and to serve the people of Balasore. However, due to certain personal reasons and circumstances, I have taken the difficult decision to separate myself from the party,” Jena wrote in his resignation letter.
He further thanked the state leadership, colleagues and party workers of Balasore district for their support, respect and opportunities during his long association with the party.
Jena had represented the Balasore Lok Sabha constituency and was considered a prominent face of the BJD in the region. His sudden resignation has triggered speculation in political circles about the reasons behind his exit from the party.
Sources indicated that Jena is likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday. He may formally join the party at its state office in Bhubaneswar, with several supporters and local representatives expected to accompany him during the joining programme.
According to political observers, Jena had reportedly been dissatisfied with the BJD for some time and had not been actively participating in party programmes in recent days. His move is likely to add a new dimension to the political dynamics in Balasore and the state’s political landscape.
📱 Get Argus News App
✨📰 60 Word News🎬 Argus Podcast📺 Live TV and Breaking News🔔 Free Notification Alerts
Download Free:
Related Topics
Explore more stories