Setback to Congress in Odisha, Naba Kishore Das resigns from party, may join BJD

Bhubaneswar, Jan 16: In a setback to the Congress party ahead of the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, state working president Naba Kishore Das resigned from the party on Wednesday, saying people from his Jharsuguda constituency wanted him to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the ruling BJD.

Das announced his resignation in a letter written to the party president Rahul Gandhi and said the people of the constituency, which he represents, want him to work with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

"The people and voters of my area want that I should contest the next election 2019 from BJD as they want our area should develop and I should join hands with Sh. Naveen Patnaik, the Hon'ble Chief Minister, Odisha," the Jharsuguda MLA said.

"I apologize for this resignation, as done so for the motto i.e. development first. So I should join with BJD (sic)," Das mentioned in his resignation letter.

Das is a popular leader in Jharsuguda district.

He has defeated BJD candidates twice -- in 2009 and 2014 assembly elections. He is also credited with ensuring Congress victory during 2017 zila parishad elections.

In March last year, Das praised Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at a function in his constituency.

He had said that Jharsuguda had witnessed considerable development due to the chief minister''s untiring efforts.