Officers were distributing BJD tickets; Pranab Prakash Das backstabbed me: Ex-MLA Sunanda Das after quitting party

A day after resigning from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), former Bari MLA Sunanda Das on Wednesday brought some explosive allegations against the Naveen Patnaik-led party. Speaking to OTV, Sunanda alleged that she was sidelined by the BJD and even denied a ticket in 2024 even though she had dedicatedly worked for the people of her constituency after winning the election on the party ticket in 2019.

“In 2019, I had won by 4,600 votes. I strengthened the party in my constituency. Despite all my efforts and hard work, my ticket was cancelled in 2024. Later, VK Pandian called me to Naveen Niwas and asked me to focus on Kantabanji where CM Naveen Patnaik was contesting from. Despite my ticket being cancelled, I worked diligently for the party. However, I was time and again sidelined by the party and not invited to party meetings. It forced me to quit the party,” said Sunanda Das.

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Accusing the party of tricking her during 2024 Elections, she alleged, “They tricked me into meeting party leaders and engaged me in other activities so that I could not get the slightest of clue that my ticket would be cancelled, lest I might have joined some other party. They even promised me that my ticket was confirmed.”

While initially refusing to take names, Sunanda accused BJD's former organisational secretary Pranab Prakash Das, and leader Biswa Ranjan Mallick of sabotaging her relationship with the conch party. “Mallick was in BJP and fighting against me. But they brought him to BJD and harassed me. All the projects in Bari were divided between him and me. Even though I was the MLA, I only had two Zilla Parishads while he was given five,” she further alleged.

“They had directed the District Collector to not listen to any of my complaints or my supporters. I had to go through unimaginable mental torture because of all this. When I approached him (), he stated that he was Ashok Das’ son and would never back-stab me. I’m sure he is behind cancelling my ticket,” she alleged.

“Despite making big promises in his father Ashok Das’ name, he did not keep his promise. I was never involved in any anti-party activities or said anything against him (Pranab Prakash Das). I never lobbied or requested anyone to become the MLA, rather they wanted to get rid of Debasis Nayak and hence brought me to the party,” she claimed.

She further alleged that officers were distributing tickets for BJD. "We (ticket aspirants) were told to meet D S Kutey and Ashish Singh for party ticket. I had also met them for poll ticket."

Opening up about BJD’s defeat in the recently concluded general elections, Sunanda said, “I believe in Lord Jagannath and the Mahaprabhu gave them punishment for playing with good people who gave everything to the party. Like me, many other leaders had worked day and night for the party but were later sidelined. If CM Naveen Patnaik had himself selected the candidates and distributed the tickets, he would have become the CM again. But, the ticket distribution was handled by others who are the reason for the downfall of the party.”

Meanwhile, no comment could be obtained from Pranab Prakash Das or the BJD over the allegations of Sunanda Das.