Puri: Kendrapara MP Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda today said that action was taken against him because he spoke the bitter truth keeping in mind the greater interests of the party.
"Had Biju Babu been with us, he would have welcomed my views. People who consider Biju Babu as their ideal would never remain silent," Panda said after paying tributes at Biju Memorial in Puri today.
While speaking to media, the parliamentarian said that the entire episode has, however, hurt him deeply.
The MP, who also offered worship at Lord Jagannath temple, further maintained that BJD was functioning in a proper manner but the indiscipline began after some people started controlling the party for their own interests.
Later in the evening, the parliamentarian, who was among the few pallbearers of Biju Patnaik tweeted a picture from his funeral on April 18, 1997 alongside a picture of the same spot where he paid tributes today saying "If Biju uncle was alive, he'd have appreciated my speaking the blunt truth."
Responding to media on his planned course of action, Panda said he will decide after settling down peacefully while reiterating his claims that the allegations leveled against him are baseless.
The parliamentarian also expressed grief for not being invited to the unveiling of ‘The Tall Man Biju Patnaik’ – a pictorial biography of former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik.
Meanwhile, a padyatra was organised by non-resident Odias (Prabasi Odias) in New Delhi today protesting the suspension of Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda from primary membership of BJD. The protesters alleged that a conspiracy is being hatched against the parliamentarian and babudom interference is on the rise.