GG News Bureau
Bhubaneswar, 4th March. Five-time Odisha MLA Arabinda Dhali and retired IAS officer Hrusikesh Panda made headlines on Sunday as they formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Alongside them, former BJD MLA Mukunda Sodi, retired Air Marshal Dilip Kumar Patnaik, former joint secretary in Rajya Sabha Ramakanta Das, and BJD’s Digapahandi block chairman Bipin Pradhan also made the move to the BJP.
Arabinda Dhali, who tendered his resignation from the ruling BJD the day prior, led a procession with his supporters to the BJP office in Bhubaneswar, where he officially became a member of the party in the presence of state president Manmohan Samal and MP Aparajita Sarangi.
Addressing the media, Dhali cited internal democracy as a key reason for his departure from the BJD, alleging neglect of senior leaders within the party.
Expressing confidence in the BJP’s prospects, Dhali, the MLA of Jaydev in Khorda district, predicted that the party would secure over 100 seats out of 147 in the upcoming assembly elections.
Dhali, a law graduate, has a long political career, having served as a minister in the BJD-BJP coalition government led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Along with Dhali, retired IAS officer Hrusikesh Panda, noted for his literary pursuits, also joined the BJP.
The BJD claimed that Arabinda Dhali joining the BJP will have no impact on it.
“Ahead of elections, it is normal for many political leaders to switch from one party to another. The leaders, whose winning chances are very low and are aware that the party is not going to give them nominations, are leaving the BJD,” senior BJD leader Raj Kishore Das said.
“The BJD leaders, who would not get nominations this time or are involved in serious crimes, have been invited by the BJP. The BJP did the same thing in 2019, and the result is known to all. The BJP is making the same mistake,” he claimed.
Recently, expelled BJD MLAs Pradeep Panigrahy and Prashant Jagdev also joined the BJP. Former Minister Debasis Nayak of the BJD also switched sides.
Another expelled BJD leader Rajendra Das, a former MLA, and Telkoi MLA Premanand Nayak, who has resigned from the BJD, is also likely to join the BJP soon.
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