Former Odisha CM Giridhar Gamang And His Son Sisir Quit BJP, Likely To Join BRS

Giridhar, a veteran tribal leader and nine-time MP from Koraput district, is likely to join Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s party Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

Former Odisha CM Giridhar Gamang with Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao during a meeting in Hyderabad recently.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Former Odisha Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang and his son Shishir Gamang resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday,  alleging that he faced “humiliation” in the party. The father-son duo announced their registration from the party at a press conference in Bhubaneswar.

Giridhar, a veteran tribal leader and nine-time MP from Koraput district, is likely to join Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s party Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

“I can tolerate insult, but not humiliation,” Mr. Gamang told reporters here.

He submitted his resignation to Jagat Prakash Nadda, President of the Bharatiya Janta Party. Giridhar quit the Congress party and joined the BJP in 2015.

“I am unable to discharge my political, social and moral duty to my people in Odisha during last several years. Hence, I tender my resignation from the Primary Membership of the BJP with immediate effect,” he stated in his resignation letter.

While thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for clarifying in the parliament over his vote in 1999, the veteran tribal leader said he was not given “proper importance in the party and also in Koraput" from where he was elected to the Lok Sabha nine times.

Another tribal leader and ex-Biju Janata Dal MP, Jayaram Pangi, is also expected to join BRS on January 27.

The joining of two well-known tribal leaders from Odisha will give a boost to the national agenda of BRS Chief K Chandrashekhar Rao.

Mr. Gamang and his son had also skipped the BJP's state executive meeting held here on Sunday.

Recently, Mr. Gamang and his son met Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and discussed various issues, including joining the Bharat Rastra Samithi, PTI reported.

The father-son duo would soon hold a press conference to announce the date of joining the BRS, PTI reported, adding that Gamang may lead the party in the state in the 2024 elections as its Odisha president.