‘I don’t have money to buy ticket’, says Hindol MLA Simarani Nayak after quitting BJD

Hindol MLA Simarani Nayak resigned from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday after the ruling party denied her a ticket for the upcoming 2024 Assembly elections in Odisha.

Nayak sent her resignation letter to Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik.

BJD has picked Mahesh Sahu as its candidate to fight the 2024 Assembly polls from Hindol seat.

Also Read | Ex-MLA Raseswari Panigrahi quits BJD for ‘pride and self-respect of Sambalpur’

Nayak expressed her dissatisfaction with the development. She alleged that a few individuals are responsible because of whom she was denied ticket. She said that she would take the next course of action after discussing it with her supporters.

“I have worked very hard for the party as per the direction of the Chief Minister. Many development works have been undertaken in our constituency for the last 10 years. If my performance was not good, I should have been directly informed about it. Giving ticket to someone by ignoring a sitting MLA, only means that the party no longer wants me. I have been doing politics from the grassroots level and doing it without anyone’s mercy. As I felt that the party didn’t want me, I resigned from the party,” said Nayak.

“Based on the reports of a few individuals, injustice has been made to me. I am a SC woman and belong to a middle class family. I don’t have a huge income to buy ticket by throwing money. It’s also a factor why I was denied ticket. I will take the next course of action as per the wish of the public. If I will be given an opportunity by another party, I will not miss it,” she added.

More from the Author | ‘Ranendra Swain’s statement’ on why Samir Dash was denied BJD ticket goes viral