Ex-BJD leader Mamata Mahanta joins BJP a day after resigning from Rajya Sabha

New Delhi [India], August 1 (ANI): Former Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Mahanta joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, a day after resigning from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
After joining the BJP, Mamata Mohanta said that her only aim is the service and welfare of the common people.
"My only aim is the service and welfare of the public. It can be fulfilled only by joining the BJP," Mohanta said.
Meanwhile, the BJD workers protested against Mohanta and burned her effigy in different parts of Odisha, including Mayurbhanj.
Mohanta, who belongs to the Kudumi tribals of Mayurbhanj, resigned from the BJD and Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
In her resignation letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman, Mohanta wrote, "I Do hereby tender my resignation from the membership of Rajya Sabha, today, i.e. July 31, 2024. I have taken this decision consciously."
The letter further said, "I express my gratitude to your good self for the opportunities given to me to raise issues of public importance in the House."
Mohanta also took to her official X handle and posted about her resignation. She said, "I have resigned from the post of Rajya Sabha member. The Biju Janata Dal Party president chose me as a member of the District Council and a member of the Rajya Sabha and gave me the opportunity to serve my district..."
In her resignation letter to Naveen Patnaik, Mohanta said, "I do hereby resign from the Primary Membership of Biju Janata Dal on July 31, 2024. I sincerely express my gratitude to your goodself for giving me an opportunity to serve the people of Mayurbhanj and also to take the cause of Odisha at the national level."
She added further, "However, I feel that there is no requirement of the services of myself as well as my community in the Biju Janata Dal. Therefore, I have taken this hard decision in the public interest."
BJD MP Sulata Deo criticised Mohanta for joining the BJP and said that they will continue to fight for Naveen Patnaik and the BJD until the end.
"All MPs are not 'bikau'. Now, no MP will go. You (the BJP) can do horse-trading but you can't do leader trading. We will continue to fight for Naveen Patnaik and BJD until the end," Deo said.
Notably, in the 18th Lok Sabha elections, the BJD faced a significant setback, failing to secure any of the 21 seats, while the BJP won 20 seats and Congress managed to win one seat. In the state assembly elections, the BJD won 51 out of 147 seats, while the BJP secured a majority by winning 78 seats.
The Biju Janata Dala, which has ruled Odisha since 1997, lost to the BJP, breaking the 24-year-old reign of Naveen Patnaik as the Chief Minister. (ANI)