In the midst of the ongoing twin polls in Odisha, Simulia MLA Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi has resigned from the primary membership of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Panigrahi submitted his resignation letter to the BJD supremo, Naveen Patnaik.
The resignation follows Panigrahi’s disappointment over being denied a ticket by the BJD in the current assembly elections. Having successfully contested and won the Simulia constituency in Balasore district in both the 2014 and 2019 assembly elections, Panigrahi had anticipated continued support from the party for this election cycle.