Pre-poll quit blow to Orissa BJP

Telegraph (Kolkata), March 5, 2009

Bhubaneswar, March 5: Senior legislator from Kesinga (Kalahandi) Dhaneswar Majhi and Sanand Marandi, a MLA from Kuliana in Mayurbhanj district, quit the BJP last evening.

Post-quit the two hinted at a possible move to the BJD, when offered tickets to the ruling party and accused the BJP of being apathetic to the tribal cause. The move is a jolt for the BJP, as the party lost Laikera MLA Brundaban Majhi to Samruddha Odisha, a newly floated regional outfit.

Dhaneswar Majhi sent in his resignation to the Orissa Speaker. In his resignation, Majhi stated that he was “disgusted” with the BJP as “there were no Yudhisthirs in the party, while the number of Duryodhans has were on the rise”.

The 68-year-old tribal leader, who had been elected from the Kesinga Assembly seat for two consecutive terms since 2000, alleged that BJP’s tribal and Dalit legislators were often humiliated. “While there are 14 tribal legislators in BJP, only one was made a minister. While a veteran like me was denied a ministerial berth, first-timers like Manmohan Samal and Surama Padhi were made ministers,” he said.

Majhi made his intention to join BJD clear. “I was an ardent follower of Biju Patnaik and a member the Janata Party,” he said. The leader was earlier elected to the Assembly twice from Narla (ST) constituency on Swatantra Party ticket.

With him there was Sanand Marandi, a young MLA from Kuliana in Mayurbhanj district, Marandi was a first timer. The 38-year-old leader in believes that the BJP had “deviated” from its ideologies and objectives. “The leaders are sacrificing party ideals for the sake of money and power”, he alleged. Both Majhi and Marandi said that they had been assured of Lok Sabha tickets — for Kalahandi and Mayurbhanj — by the BJD leadership.

BJP state unit president Suresh Pujari denied of having received the resignation news. He dubbed the move as “opportunistic”.

He asserted that the development will not weaken the BJP nor affect its poll prospects, and added that those quitting had done so because of the delimitation commission had reduced their assembly constituencies.

Amid speculations of a possible rift in the 10 year BJD-BJP alliance, BJD leaders today observed the birth anniversary of Biju Patnaik and remained silent on the issue.

BJD leaders, including party chief Naveen Patnaik, did not touch upon the matter.

Only BJD secretary general Damodar Rout said talks were on between the allies to decide upon the seat sharing ratio.