Bhubaneswar: Suspended BJD MP Baijayant 'Jay' Panda on Saturday ruled out resignation from his post as demanded by certain quarters of his party, particularly from the Kendrapara BJD district unit.

Instead he kept on targeting the chief minister's office while inaugurating an overhead tank at Andara village in Pattamundai block of his Lok Sabha constituency.

On resignation, Panda quipped: "Why should I? I have been elected by lakhs of people. Before taking a decision, I will consult them. Those, who have crossed the Lakshman rekha and the government officials who are misutilising their position and interfering in party affairs, collecting donations illegally and distributing tickets, should resign first."

However, the party maintained that Panda was speaking the language of the BJP. "It seems his heart and mind is somewhere else, and he is talking the language of the BJP," said BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra.

On January 26, BJD leaders, including health minister Pratap Jena, party MLAs Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Bed Prakash Agarwal and its Kendrapara district unit president Dhruba Sahu, demanded Panda's resignation when he went to his constituency to drum up support in his favour following his suspension from the party for anti-party activities and his alleged proximity with the BJP.

The leadership, too, accused Panda of suppressing the fact that he had been drawing salary as the vice-chairman of the Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys, a company which is into mining, ferro alloys and power. Panda had said the party leadership was free to move the high court or the Election Commission. At the same breath, he continued to maintain that the people from Kendrapara and across the country appreciated his fight for a cause. "Nobody can throw me out from the hearts of the people here, neither can I forget my people. Some people are trying to stop the projects which are meant for the benefit of the people. But, I will continue my work without any fear," he said.

Panda also used the platform to target the administration and saying how it was functioning in a hypocrite manner and there was goondagiri everywhere. He reminded the administration how it had taken nearly four months to lodge a case following hurling of eggs and chappals at him. But now, the police promptly swung into action while a similar incident took place with the chief minister. A woman was charged with attempt to murder, after she hurled eggs at the chief minister at Talsari in Balasore three days ago.

He said: "I don't accept throwing of eggs as a form of protest as it will cause injury to eyes. But, I can say that it is sheer hypocrisy on part of the administration that a woman who hurls eggs at the chief minister is charged with attempt to murder case but when stones had been hurled at me, no action was even initiated for four months."

"The BJD was created to suppress goondagiri. But, things have changed in the past few years. I don't think Biju babu would have tolerated it had he been here," said Panda.

However, the party leaders advised him to talk to the party president instead of airing his views in the media. The party's women wing chief and observer for Kendrapara district Pramilla Mallick said: "Instead of giving media statements, he should talk to the chief minister and explain that he is innocent and doing pro-people work."