BJD Leader Asks Speaker To Allocate Seat Away From Party MPs For Suspended MP Jay Panda In Lok Sabha

The friction between Biju Janata Dal (BJP) leader and Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik and suspended party member Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda seems to have increased even more with Patnaik stripping him of his responsibilities from the Parliamentary Standing Committee, reports Odisha News Insight. Panda, who represents the Kendrapara constituency from Odisha was suspended from the party on 24 January this year on disciplinary grounds for alleged anti-party activities.

Patnaik had earlier asked for all BJP MPs to resign from their respective Standing Committees but now has asked for only Panda to resign. He is also reluctant to expel him from the party as that will enable Panda to retain his seat in the Lok Sabha.

Earlier today (6 March), it was reported that BJD leader in the lower house, Bhartruhari Mahtab had asked speaker Sumitra Mahajan to allocate a seat to Panda that was away from the BJD MPs as Panda has been barred from any involvement in the party’s affairs.

He also wrote to Mahajan seeking Panda’s removal from the standing committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs on the grounds of his disqualification.