Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader, Pramila Mallik, criticized veteran leader Debashish Samantaray’s resignation, stating it would not affect the party but rather benefit it. Samantaray, a three-time MLA, resigned from the party and his Rajya Sabha membership, reducing the party’s count in the Upper House to five.
Mallik expressed that leaders like Samantaray joined the party for personal gain, enjoying benefits and positions, only to leave when the party lost power. She accused Samantaray of not representing Odisha’s interests in the Rajya Sabha and criticized his tenure as the party’s Cuttack district president.
Party spokesperson Lenin Mohanty labeled Samantaray’s allegations as hypocrisy, highlighting the opportunities and trust the party had given him over the years. Mohanty claimed that Samantaray’s move to the BJP was driven by personal and business interests, calling him a “traitor” for leaving the BJD.
