Bhubaneswar, April 13: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday appointed Manas Ranjan Mangaraj as the leader of its Parliamentary Party in the Rajya Sabha and Sulata Deo as Deputy Leader and Chief Whip in the Upper House.

The BJD has announced the appointment of new office bearers for its parliamentary party in the Rajya Sabha following the recent biennial elections and retirement of some of its members.

This comes after BJD president Naveen Patnaik accepted the resignation of MP Sasmit Patra as leader of the BJD parliamentary party in the Rajya Sabha.

Meanwhile, on March 29, Sasmit Patra resigned from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and IT in protest against remarks by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey against former Odisha Chief Minister late Biju Patnaik.

In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Patra wrote, "In protest, and as a matter of principle, I am resigning from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and IT under the Chairmanship of Nishikant Dubey. I cannot, in good conscience, continue to serve under someone who makes disrespectful remarks about the late Shri. Biju Patnaik ji, as he did today in a public statement."

As per an official communication issued by BJD president Naveen Patnaik to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Manas Ranjan Mangaraj has been appointed as the Leader of the BJD Parliamentary Party in the Upper House.

Sulata Deo has been designated as the Deputy Leader and Chief Whip of the party in the Rajya Sabha. The appointments have come into effect immediately.

In the letter, the BJD has requested the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to grant due official recognition to the newly appointed leaders.