Odisha legislator joins BJP, fourth BJD MLA to do so in a month

Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy, Chilka MLA Prasanta Jagdev, who were expelled from the BJD over various charges, had joined the BJP in the recent past. Similarly, BJD’s Jayadev MLA Arabinda Dhali switched to the saffron camp on Sunday, alleging neglect in the party.

On Monday, former BJD MLA Rajendra Das also joined the BJP. Das was elected to the state Assembly in 2009 on a BJD ticket. Though he was denied a ticket in 2014, the BJD fielded him again in 2019, which he lost to BJP’s Bishnu Charan Sethi.

During the October 2022 byelection in Dhamnagar following the untimely death of Sethi, Das had filed nomination as an independent candidate after the ruling party denied him a ticket. The BJD lost the Dhamnagar by-election even as Das secured 8,153 votes. Anticipating difficulty in his return to BJD fold, Das joined the saffron camp.

“I have joined the BJP as a disciplined member. I will accept whatever the party decides for me. I will always remain with the people of Dhamnagar,” said Das.

Among others, former Congress MLA from Bhadrak Naren Pallai and former Congress minister Nabin Chandra Narayan Das also joined the BJP in separate programmes.