After allegations of corruption, Das steps down as BJD leader in RS

Bhubaneswar: Under attack over land, housing as well as chitfund scam, party heavyweight and former Odisha Minister Kalpataru Das on Thursday resigned from the post of BJD Parliamentary Party leader in Rajya Sabha, a party release said tonight. The resignation of Das was accepted by BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the release said in Bhubaneswar. [caption id=“attachment_1708687” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. PTI[/caption] Following this development, Rajya Sabha MP Dr Dilip Tirkey was appointed as the new leader of the BJD parliamentary party in Rajya Sabha, it said. “I have been targetted by certain individuals for the lastone-and-a-half month. False and fabricated allegations are being made one after other systematically to tarnish my image,” Das said in his resignation addressed to Patnaik. Observing that this sullied the image of his leader Naveen Patnaik and party ‘Biju Janta Dal’ (BJD), the letter, copy of which was released to the media, justified the action. “I do hereby tender my resignation from the post of leader of Biju Janata Dal Parliamentary Party and request you to accept it,” Das said in his letter. Das has been embroiled in controversy amid allegation about acquisition of multiple plots and houses under the discretionary quota as well as accumulation of property by him, his son and family members which he denied as baseless. Das’s son Pranab Balabantray, MLA from Dharmshala in Jajpur district, was incidentally interrogated by CBI last night in connection with a chitfund scam, sources said. Das and another senior BJD leader were seen along with chitfund scam accused Ranjan Dash, who has been arrested by the CBI, in a photo published in media, which led to further attack on him from different quarters. However, Das continues to be a vice-president of the ruling BJD. PTI