Dilip Ray, Bijoy Mohapatra quit BJP in Odisha, say ‘treated like furniture’

Two senior Odisha BJP leaders Dilip Ray, Bijoy Mohapatra – who both were the members of the ruling party’s national executive – quit the party on Friday. In their joint resignation letter to BJP president Amit Shah, Ray and Mohapatra said that their suggestions were seen as a “threat” by some “egocentric self-servicing” individuals and that they would rather quit than “being treated like furniture". “The well-meaning suggestions by us to you were construed as a threat by certain egocentric self-servicing individuals who resorted to dirty tricks and a campaign was launched in our respective constituencies to try and deride us," their joint resignation letter read.

Also Read | Odisha BJP wants Modi to contest from Puri

The duo said that while some "rootless" people talked big and projected themselves in larger than life image of themselves, they were being treated as furniture in the party.

"As self-respecting politicians with decades of service to Odisha, we refuse to continue in the party as showpieces. We can't be treated as furniture in the party while the rootless talk big and project a larger than life image," they added.

Describing the party's defeat in Bijepur bypoll a “shocker”, the duo said that the result was a reflection of people's “disenchantment” with the BJP. Rourkela MLA Dilip Ray said that he made a lot of promises to the people of his constituency as he thought that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence would ensure development. However, he added, nothing happened and taking a moral responsibility he resigned from as a member of the BJP and the state Legislative Assembly.

Also Read | Ankiv Baisoya, DUSU president, to resign over fake degree case; suspended from ABVP

"Now, I acknowledge my failure in living up to their expectations and therefore, taking the moral responsibility, I have decided to quit as the member of the state Legislative Assembly as well as from the membership of the BJP," Roy said.