Bhubaneswar, April 8: Dr. Sasmit Patra, the Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), has stepped down from his role as the party’s Parliamentary Leader in the Upper House. He submitted his resignation letter directly to BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday.

Patra’s decision has raised concerns over the unity and cohesion within the BJD, as the timing coincides with the recent induction of Dr. Santrupt Misra, the newest BJD Rajya Sabha member. Misra, who took his oath of office just two days ago, is seen by many in political circles as a potential successor to Patra in the leadership role in the Upper House.

This resignation follows Patra’s earlier departure from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and IT. The move came after controversial remarks by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, the committee's chairperson, who alleged a connection between BJD founder Biju Patnaik and the CIA, claiming Patnaik acted as a liaison between the intelligence agency and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Patra strongly condemned these statements, calling them an affront to a national icon. His protest culminated in a BJD walkout in the Rajya Sabha.

In his resignation letter from the committee, Patra stated that he could no longer, "in good conscience," continue to serve under a chairperson who made such offensive remarks. The controversy has sparked significant outrage across Odisha, with BJD leaders, including Naveen Patnaik, demanding an apology from Dubey.

As of now, the BJD leadership has not issued an official statement regarding Patra’s resignation.