Bhubaneswar, July 14: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) suffered a significant 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 party's functioning in the Brajarajnagar Assembly constituency.

The corporators submitted their resignation letters to BJD president Naveen Patnaik through the party's Jharsuguda district president. Along with them, the district social media coordinator, Tosif Alam, also resigned from the party.

The resignations were announced during a press conference held at the Belpahad Municipal Kalyan Mandap in the presence of suspended senior BJD leader Hitesh Thakkar.

In their letter, the corporators praised Naveen Patnaik's leadership and acknowledged his vision for Odisha's development and commitment to public service. However, they said the current organisational atmosphere in the Brajarajnagar Assembly constituency had made it impossible for them to continue working under the party.

The leaders alleged that grassroots workers and elected representatives were being repeatedly ignored and denied due recognition despite their efforts to strengthen the organisation and serve the people. They claimed their grievances had remained unaddressed for a long time.

The corporators blamed the situation on the leadership style of former Brajarajnagar MLA Alka Mohanty. They clarified that their decision was not against Naveen Patnaik or the BJD's ideology but stemmed from growing frustration over the treatment of party workers. They also expressed disappointment over the suspension of Hitesh Thakkar, stating that the Belpahad municipal unit had been functioning under his guidance.

Powered by Froala Editor