In a major development, Odisha Assembly Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha along with two ministers, Samir Ranjan Dash and Srikanta Sahu, resigned from their positions on Friday.

Speaking to mediapersons, Arukha said he has resigned on personal grounds. “I have submitted my resignation letter to Deputy Speaker Rajanikant Singh,” he said.

Asked if he would be included in the Cabinet of Naveen Patnaik’s government, Arukha said: “I will discharge every responsibility assigned to me by the party or in the government.”

Soon after the resignation of the Speaker, School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash and Labour Minister Srikanta Sahu also resigned from the position of MoS.

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 suicidal death 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.