Bhubaneswar, May 17 (Reporter)In a significant political development, veteran BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra was expelled from the party for anti-party activities. In a statement, Odisha BJP said that party President Manmohan Samal has expelled the party’s state executive body members Bijay Mohapatra and Sarada Pradhan from the party for anti-party activities. The party also expelled its SC Morcha state Vice President Rakesh Mallick for similar reasons. Both Sarada Pradhan and Rakesh Mallick, after being denied party tickets, are contesting the Assembly election as independent candidates. Mohapatra, a former Minister and a prominent political figure in Odisha was a founding member of the Biju Janata Dal. He was denied a party ticket in the 2000 Assembly elections and subsequently expelled from the BJD. He then founded a new regional party named Odisha Gana Parishad (OGP), which won two assembly seats in the 2004 elections. However, the OGP was later merged with the Odisha unit of the NCP, headed by Mohapatra, which won four assembly seats in the 2009 Assembly election. Mohapatra later dissolved the state unit of the NCP and joined the BJP. When contacted, Mohapatra called the party’s decision to expel him “ridiculous.” The veteran political leader said that over the last five years, he has dissociated himself from party activities and has not attended any party meetings or functions. Mohapatra was also not seen with any senior party leaders during this period. Mohapatra’s son, Arabinda Mohapatra, is contesting the Patkura Assembly seat this time as a BJD candidate. The seat was held by his father four times in the past: once each as a Janata (S) and Janata Party candidate, and twice as a Janata Dal candidate from 1980 to 2000...////...