Lucrative-offer allegations baseless: Mamata Mohanta responds to BJD

The allegation that I have resigned from the Rajya Sabha and the BJD and joined the BJP after a lucrative offer made to me is baseless, said Mamata Mohanta on Tuesday. 

Mamata is a prominent leader of the Kudumi community in Odisha, who was elected to the Upper House of the Parliament from Odisha as a member of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). She was elected unopposed among the four candidates for the four seats from Odisha in 2020. She resigned from the Rajya Sabha and the BJD on July 31 and joined the BJP the next day. 

While replying to the queries of journalists, Mamata said, “Nothing has been offered to me. I have joined BJP after being influenced by the ideology of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and believing in ‘Viksit Bharat, Viksit Odisha’.”

“I will accept happily whatever responsibility the party would give me. If the party asks me to distribute water on summer days, I will do that sincerely,” she said. 

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When asked if the party would send her to Rajya Sabha, she said she was ready to accept whatever responsibility the party would give her.  

Regarding the BJD’s allegation of a lucrative offer from the BJP behind her resignation from Rajya Sabha and the party, she said, “These allegations are baseless.  There is not an iota of truth in them. Those who are levelling such allegations against me know very well who Mamata Mohanta is. She comes from a very common family and won’t rise to any bait.”