India, May 26 -- BJD Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray on Monday resigned from the primary membership of the party, alleging that he was being "systematically belittled".

In a letter to party chief Naveen Patnaik, Samantaray said, "I do hereby resign from the primary membership of BJD. Of late, I felt I have been systematically belittled in the party and that it does not require my services.

Therefore, I have taken this hard decision in the public interest and request you to accept my resignation."

Samantaray's resignation comes months after two other Rajya Sabha MPs - Sujeet Kumar and Mamata Mahanta - quit the party. Mahanta and Kumar were later elected to the Rajya Sabha on BJP tickets.

A two-time MLA elected in 2009 and 2014, Sam...