KENDRAPARA: Senior BJP leader and former minister Bijay Mohapatra’s sudden resignation from  the BJP on Friday evoked mixed reaction from party leaders and others in his home turf Kendrapara district. Many supporters of Bijay termed it a good step on the part of Bijay.

Ganesh Samal, a Zilla Parishad member of BJP of Patkura, said,  “Bijay Mohapatra  was humiliated by many senior BJP leaders for which he rightly resigned from BJP. Bijay is a popular leader in Kendrapara district as he did many developmental works when he was a minister under then chief minister Biju Patnaik”.

Dyurodhan Sahoo,  president of the district unit of BJP, said “Bijay is an arrogant person. He was a liability for BJP and now we are happy after his resignation from BJP. On June 12 this year, we had suspended Bijay from the district committee of BJP. I had also written letters to State president and national president in June and urged them to suspend Bijay Mohapatra, the national executive member of the party, for his anti-party works.”

“Bijay is a fine politician and a potential chief minister candidate. He was a victim of political conspiracy. Naveen back-stabbed him in 2000. Even some State BJP leaders sabotaged his election in Mahakalapada in 2014  for which he rightly resigned from BJP ”, said Damodar Mallick of Patkura.