Bhubaneswar: Odisha Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha and two Ministers – Samir Ranjan Dash and Srikant Sahu today resigned, triggering speculation of a possible Cabinet reshuffle. Minutes after the Speaker sent his resignation letter to Deputy Speaker, School and Mass Education Samir Ranjan Dash and Labour Minister Srikant Sahu stepped down from their position. Both the Ministers resigned citing that they would work for the party organization. Similarly, Bikram Keshari Arukh resigned, citing personal reason. “I have discharged the responsibility given by the party. I will carry out whatever responsibility would be assigned to me in the future. I am ready to take any charge in the party or in the government,” Arukha said. Srikanta Sahu was the Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Employees State Insurance (Independent Charge), while Samir Ranjan Dash was the Minister of State for School and Mass Education department (Independent Charge). Sahu said he has resigned to work for the organisation of Biju Janata Dal (BJD). A few days ago, a woman BJD worker made ‘sexual harassment’ allegations against Sahu. Even, the matter reached the police station seeking action against Sahu. Commenting on it, Sahu said: “In politics, a lot of allegations will be made. So, I don’t want to make any comment on this. To discharge organisational responsibility, I have resigned.” Besides, Samir Ranjan Dash was also dragged into controversy over the alleged suicide of BJD zilla parishad member Dharmendra Sahoo. The ZP member was elected from one seat of Dash’s Nimapara Assembly constituency. Recently, a by-poll for the ZP seat was held and the BJP won it. Dash said he has resigned from the Cabinet to give full time in organisational work. According to political observers, the two ministers have been asked to resign as both courted controversy.
