After being suspended from the primary membership of Biju Janata Dal(BJD) on grounds of 'anti-party activities', the party has demanded immediate resignation of Baijayant Jay Panda as Member of Parliament from Kendrapara constituency on ethical and moral grounds.
In a press release, the party has accused him of concealing the fact that he is a paid employee and working as Vice-Chairman in IMFA in the affidavit dated 21st March 2014 filed as part of his nomination papers for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
The party has said that Panda has drawn annual salary and allowance of Rs 2 crore, Rs 79 lakhs, Rs 1.45 crore, Rs 1.61 crore and Rs 7.66 crore as IMFA chairman in the last few years.
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"Shri Panda has concealed the fact that he is working as an employee of IMFA and drawing crores of rupees as salary. What made Shri panda conceal this fact"?
Party cadres have said that now they feel cheated by the unethical and immoral act of Jay Panda.
"He has cheated and misled the party , party leadership and above all the people of Kendrapara Parliamentary Constituency about his employment with IMFA--a company involved in ferro alloys mining and power.
"Shri Panda has lost all his moral authority to continue as Member of Parliament from Kendrapara. Hence, we demand that Shri Panda Vice Chairman, IMFA should immediately resign as Member of parliament from Kendrapara on ethical and moral grounds," the press release reads.
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"Every voter in kendrapara who had voted for you feels seriously let down and cheated by the fact that you concealed a substantive truth from electorate and submitted false affidavit," it adds.
On Wednesday, Minister and party vice-president Surya Patro had announced the suspension of the MP through a statement. It said Panda targeted Party for not nominating him for chairmanship of the standing committee of Finance due to conflict of interest.
The statement said: “ Panda, vice-chairman of IMFA, was desirous of becoming the chairman of standing committee on Finance in Lok Sabha and expressed the same to the party leadership. He also stated that BJD, being the fourth largest party in the Parliament may not be favoured with Chairmanship of the standing committee of Finance. However if he is nominated, he stated he would be able to lobby and get it.”
He claimed there was a huge loan waiver running into thousands of crore of rupees to IMFA (previously ICCL) which was still a "matter of debate."
"IMFA is a company which is into mining, ferro-alloys and power in Odisha. Apprehending serious conflict of interest which would have compromised the interest of the state and the country vis-a-vis a corporate, the party leadership refused to nominate Panda for chairmanship of the Lok Sabha standing committee," Patro said.
Patro said Panda was suspended by Patnaik who took into account all these issues.
