BJD MP Debashish Samantaray. Picture: Screenshot from video posted on X/@ANI The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Debashish Samantaray on Monday (May 25, 2026) quit the party and also resigned from the Rajya Sabha, alleging that he was being “systematically belittled” in the organisation. Hours after resigning from the party, Mr. Samantaray said he met Rajya Sabha chairman CP Radhakrishnan in Parliament and submitted his resignation from the Upper House. A long-time associate of BJD chief Naveen Patnaik, Mr. Samantaray said he would soon join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and that talks with the saffron party leadership had been finalised. Sources said Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and State BJP president Manmohan Samal are in New Delhi, and Mr. Samantaray may join the BJP in their presence either later on Monday (May 25, 2026) or the following day. Mr. Samantaray alleged that despite being a close associate of Patnaik for years, he was prevented from meeting the BJD chief and blamed former bureaucrat-turned-politician V.K. Pandian for the party’s defeat in the 2024 elections. …