Won't join any party till credibility is restored: Former Odisha CM Gamang

Former Odisha chief minister Giridhar Gamang resigned from the Congress party on Saturday and said that he would not join any political party until his credibility is not restored.

"I will not rejoin Congress or join any other party because my intention behind is that - my credibility... which was in question till today, should be clear," Gamang said.

Gamang, who served as the chief minister of Odisha from February 18, 1999, to December 6, 1999, blamed the Congress leadership for not defending him for his single vote against the confidence motion that caused the fall of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1999.

The nine-time Lok Sabha member, who was addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar, said that he would not rejoin the Congress and added if any other party comes up with a proposal he would consider joining it.

In his resignation letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Gamang said that he had suffered humiliation for this since 1999 and neither the party, nor its leaders had come out with the truth and protected him from public criticism for exercising his constitutional right.

He further said that his 43 years' loyalty has turned into a liability for the party.