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Resignation of Pravat Balabantaray

Jajpur: Pravat Kumar Balabantaray, a prominent leader of the BJD, has stepped down from his role as chairperson of the Dharmasala block panchayat samiti in Jajpur district, Odisha, as confirmed by an official on Wednesday.

His resignation, which comes just two days prior to a planned vote on a no-confidence motion against him, marks a significant political shift.

Balabantaray cited personal reasons for his decision and submitted his resignation to the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Dharmasala, requesting prompt acceptance.

The no-confidence motion was set to take place on August 22, intensifying the political dynamics within the block.

The situation escalated when 38 members, including 20 sarpanches and 18 Samiti members from various panchayats, filed the motion against him with Jajpur sub-collector Tapas Ranjan Dehury on August 11.

After verifying the signatures, the sub-collector scheduled the voting for August 22.

Balabantaray, who is the sibling of former Dharmasala MLA and senior BJD figure Pranab Kumar Balabantaray (also known as Jitu), is perceived to be at the center of a power struggle involving current MLA Himanshu Sekhar Sahu.

In his resignation statement, Balabantaray emphasized that his decision was made for the safety and security of the panchayat representatives and expressed his appreciation for the support he received from the local community.

The Dharmasala block comprises 45 panchayats and 90 members, including Sarpanches and Samiti members. Balabantaray had previously been elected as chairperson in 2017 and 2022.

Dharmasala BDO Jyotirmaya Kar confirmed the receipt of Balabantaray's resignation letter and stated that it has been forwarded to the district collector for further action.