Sitting MP Balabhadra Majhi resigns from Biju Janata Dal

Sitting Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Balabhadra Majhi on Thursday resigned from the party over various issues with the party leadership.

"I have submitted my resignation letter to party chief Naveen Patnaik. As a sitting MP, I was not called in the party meeting. I was being ignored for the past few days. People involved in the decision-making body are not informing me. I think BJD does not need me anymore. This is about my self-respect," Majhi told reporters here.

When asked whether he left because the party is not giving him a ticket for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, he said, "I don't think so. Ticket distribution processes have not started yet. I don' know who will get the ticket."

On joining any other political party, he said, "I have not thought about it yet. Our people will tell me what to do."

Majhi fought on BJD's ticket in 2014 Lok Sabha polls and won from Nabarangpur constituency.

Lok Sabha and Assembly polls will be held simultaneously in Odisha in four phases, beginning from April 11. The last phase of polling in Odisha, which has 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 Assembly seats at stake, will take place on April 29.