Bhubaneswar, Nov 3 (IANS): Ahead of Panchayat elections, senior BJD leader and former minister Sanjeeb Kumar Sahoo has resigned from the ruling party in Odisha.

In his resignation letter to BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Sahoo said, "Today, I tender my resignation from primary membership of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) due to my personal problems."

The 61-year-old politician was first elected as MLA from Birmaharajpur constituency in Sonepur district on a BJD ticket in 2003 bypoll. He was re-elected to the Odisha Assembly from the same constituency in 2004.

Later, he was elected to the Assembly from Athmallik constituency in Angul district twice in 2009 and 2019.

However, the BJD had denied ticket to the four-time MLA during the last elections in 2019 and filed former bureaucrat Ramesh Chandra Sai for Athamallik constituency. Following this, he felt neglected by the BJD.

Sahoo was a Minister of State (MoS), Panchayati Raj and Science & Technology from 2006 to 2008. He also held the position of MoS (independent) of School & Mass Education and Commerce & Transport from 2008 to 2009 and from 2009 to 2012, respectively.