Bhubaneswar, Sept. 12 -- Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik today suspended veteran leader and former Minister Prafulla Mallik from the party for indulging in "anti-party activities."The suspension came a day after Mallik openly voiced concerns about the functioning of the BJD, Odisha's principal opposition party, claiming it had failed to play the role of a "real opposition" in the state.
A four-time MLA who had held key portfolios such as Works, Steel, and Mines in the Naveen Patnaik government, Mallik, however, asserted that the suspension order was issued only hours after he had tendered his resignation from the party's primary membership, citing personal reasons.
Mallik had hinted yesterday that he might quit the party if it ...