TNI Bureau: In a major blow to the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) ahead of the General Elections 2024, former MLA of Sambalpur Raseswari Panigrahi today resigned from the primary membership of the party invoking the ‘Sambalpur Asmita.’

Panigrahi tendered her resignation letter to BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

While speaking to the media persons, Raseswari Panigrahi said, “I have resigned from the primary membership of BJD and all posts of the party for the pride and self-respect of Sambalpur.

“BJD has given ticket to a person whom they had earlier termed as ‘unworthy’. Didn’t we have leaders in Sambalpur? It’s an insult to the people of Sambalpur,” she added.

When asked either she will take retirement from politics, the former Sambalpur MLA said that only time will say about it but as of now she won’t contest the upcoming elections rather focus on social work through her trust. She also expressed her willingness to donate all her property to the trust.

Raseswari is a gynaecologist by profession and won the 2014 from the Sambalpur assembly seat on a BJD ticket. However, she lost the 2019 elections to BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra.

She was one of the strong contenders to get the party ticket for the upcoming Assembly elections, but the BJD president fielded Rohit Pujari for Sambalpur Assembly seat, which is why she was extremely disappointed.

Her resignation from the party is expected to make a major impact in both Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat and Sambalpur Assembly seat. It is considered as a big boomerang for the BJD.