By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, January 16, 2018: In a major setback for the opposition Congress in Odisha, its working president and Jharsuguda MLA Naba Kishore Das has resigned from the primary membership of the party.

Das also has announced to resign from the membership of the Odisha assembly, election to which is slated to be held along with the Lok Sabha polls later this year.

Das, a two-time legislator, has sent his resignation letter to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is scheduled to visit the state on January 25.

A copy of the resignation letter was also sent to Odisha Congress chief Niranjan Patnaik and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Odisha, Jitender Singh.

In the letter, Das apologized but made it clear that honoring the wishes of voters from his constituency, he would join the ruling BJD to take forward the developmental activities in his Jharsuguda assembly constituency.

“I do not have any complaint against Niranjan Patnaik, president, PCC, Odisha. I have a very cordial relationship with him… I apologize for this resignation as done so (sic) for the motto i.e development first. So I should join hands with Naveen Patnaik,” he said in the letter and indicated that he would join the BJD on January 24.

Two days ago, when Das indicated that he would quit the Congress, Niranjan Patnaik had said it will not affect the poll prospects of the party.

Das is a popular leader in Jharsuguda district. He had defeated BJD candidates in 2009 and 2014 assembly elections. He is also credited with ensuring Congress victory during the 2017 zilla parishad elections in Jharsuguda.

Of the nine zilla parishad seats in Jharsuguda district, Das had ensured victory of Congress candidates in eight.

Niranjan Patnaik wrote on Twitter, “As I had clarified to media, news like this does pain me. But, in hindsight, I think this is good for us. People who are not committed to the ideology & treat politics as commercial activity are doing great service to us by quitting.”