Odisha MP Baijayant Panda suspended from BJD on disciplinary grounds

The relations between Panda and party supremo Naveen Patnaik worsened over the past few weeks after Panda accused an IAS officer in the CM's office of indulging in political act

Senior leader of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and four time MP, Baijayant Panda, popularly known as Jay Panda, has been suspended from the party on charges of anti-party activity.

The relations between Panda and party supremo and chief minister Naveen Patnaik had worsened over the past few weeks after Panda accused an IAS officer in the CM’s office of indulging in political activity and controlling the party affairs going beyond the briefs of his service rules.

Panda made the accusation after he faced stiff opposition from a section of BJD workers during his visits to his constituency, Kendrapara in coastal Odisha, for launching of various developmental work financed under MPLAD fund. While the BJD workers complained that he was not involving the local peoples’ representatives in such programmes, Panda refuted the allegations.

BJD president and chief minister, Patnaik had asked two of his party leaders to enquire into the charges against Panda and submit report.

Meanwhile, following his suspension, Panda tweeted, “I am shocked at this news. Very sad @Naveen_ Odisha didn’t see through the conspiracy against me led by an IAS officer now controlling the party. I vehemently deny the allegations against me, they are entirely false and baseless."    

Announcing his suspension from the party, BJD vice-president Surya Narayan Patra, listed a series of charges against Panda. Accusing him of weakening the party through his statements in Parliament, constituency and media, Patra said, Panda didn’t leave any opportunity to deride BJD and praise the Opposition in public.

Patra also rebuffed the claim of Panda being one of the founding members of BJD. He alleged that instead of canvassing for party candidates in the last panchayat election in his constituency, Panda was campaigning for candidates of rival parties. He termed this as blatant anti-party activity though the party had not taken any action on it over the past one year.

Patra said, there were also controversies over Panda, who continued as the vice-president of his family firm Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys Ltd (IMFA) receiving over Rs 14.5 million as remuneration in 2014 and playing a key role in waiver of billions of rupees of loan pending on IMFA.