Bhubaneswar: BJD's Kendrapara district unit president Dhruba Charan Sahu met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at Naveen Niwas today seeking dismissal of Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda from the primary membership of the party.
Sahu alleged that Panda received Rs 12 crore as salary from Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Limited (IMFA) which he did not mention in his poll affidavit.
Citing that a resident of Harianta of Cuttack district had filed a petition before Kendrapara SDJM court seeking registration of a case against the parliamentarian for submitting false affidavit during the 2014 general elections, Sahu demanded Panda's dismissal from the party.
"I as the district president of Kendrapara, on behalf of the local residents and party members, demanded that MP Panda should be expelled from the primary membership of the party. We hope party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will take appropriate step in view of the party's interest," said Sahu.
In response to Sahu's allegations, Panda said, "If this news is true, it is sad but no longer shocking. BJD's working has become totally undemocratic in the past four years due to the undue influence of a serving bureaucrat on the party. I was suspended on false allegations, without being given a chance to clarify, so it won't surprise me if I am expelled in a similar manner. I repose my faith on the people of Odisha and Lord Jagannath."