Odisha: 6-time BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab resigns from party

All eyes on Mahtab’s next move, most likely to join BJP

By Chitta Ranjan Beura

Bhubaneswar, March 22: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Lok Sabha member, Bhartruhari Mahtab, on Friday resigned from the BJD’s primary membership saying he was feeling “suffocated” in the party.

While announcing his resignation at a press conference in Cuttack, the ace parliamentarian said, “The party was formed to fight against corruption and to stay away from wealth accumulation. Believing this, the people of Odisha supported the party. But during the last few years, things went wrong and I often raised the issues but nothing happened. So I have distanced myself from the party. I believe I can do the work for which I had joined the party, more freely after quitting the party.”

Mahtab’s move came a day after the Special Court for MP/MLAs framed charges against him in connection with the alleged assault on a police officer 13 years ago.

Stating that Chief Minister Naveeen Patnaik had remained inaccessible to his party leaders for a few years now, Mahtab said there was no collective responsibility in BJD any longer.  

The six-time Lok Sabha member said he was targeted by his party leaders after he supported the BJP’s call for enactment of Uniform Civil Code.

“After I supported the idea of Uniform Civil Code, I found myself in trouble in my own party. I was literally questioned for my stand on the matter. It was a kind of mental harassment. Does not the Directive Principle of State Policy in the Constitution of India prescribe for making a uniform law applicable to all communities living in the country? What wrong did I commit by supporting the Uniform Civil Code?” he asked.

Mahtab, who has got Best Parliamentarian Award and Sansad Ratna Award for his great oratory skill and impressive performances, hailed breakdown in the BJD-BJP coalition talk saying “democracy in Odisha is now saved.”

“The BJD-BJP coalition proposition was completely unethical and against the spirits of democracy,” he observed.

Asked if he would join the BJP, Mahtab said, “I will consult my well-wishers and then take a call.”

Sources said Mahtab is most likely to join the BJP in the next couple of days.

There was no reaction from the BJD on Mahatab’s charge of “mental harassment.”