Former Odisha Minister Damodar Rout quits BJP

Bhubaneswar: Senior leader and former Odisha Minister Damodar Rout on Wednesday resigned from Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), accusing the party of sidelining and ignoring him.

Rout has sent his resignation letter to BJP State Unit President Basant Panda.

He had joined the BJP on March 14 in Delhi before the 2019 General Elections.

In 2017, Rout was removed from the Council of Ministers in the Naveen Patnaik’s Government over his several controversial remarks.

In 2018, he was expelled from the Biju Janta Dal for his alleged anti-party statements.