Jhargram BJP MP Kunar Hembram has sent a letter to the party, saying he is disassociating himself from the organisation for personal reasons.

"This is to formally inform you that I disassociate myself from the party effective immediately. The decision is because of personal reasons that I have carefully considered," Hembram wrote to Jhargram district BJP president Tufan Mahato on Friday night.

Hembram, an IIT Kharagpur alumni, contested for the first time in 2019 on a BJP ticket and became the MP of Jhargram reserved for Scheduled Tribes. He defeated the Trinamul Congress's Birbaha Saren (Tudu) by 11,767 votes. Of six Lok Sabha seats in Jungle Mahal, five, including Jhargram, were won by the BJP in 2019.

Asked whether he would contest from Jhargram if the BJP fielded him again, Hembram said he was not interested in electoral politics and would concentrate on multiple social works he had been engaged in since the 1980s.

"I have already announced my disassociation from the party. So, there is no question of resuming political activities. I want to be involved in social work, especially for the education of tribal children," said 61-year-old Hembram.

A senior BJP leader said although Hembram was an asset for the party, the saffron camp had been thinking of fielding a new face in Jhargram. A section of BJP leaders has accused Hembram of being inactive. In the BJP's first list of candidates, Hembram's name did not feature among those of 20 contestants in Bengal. "This had hurt him," said a BJP leader.

A source in the BJP said although there was no possibility of Hembram defecting to other parties, he didn't have to announce his dissociation from the BJP.

"He had some health-related issues, too. He informed the party about his decision to disassociate. The party is likely to field a different candidate for the seat. However, there was no reason to write a letter to announce his disassociation from the party. It is certainly a discomfort for the party " said a BJP leader.