Bhubaneswar: Just days after resigning from BJP, former Salepur MLA Prakash Chandra Behera has joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
Shri Behera along with his supporters formally inducted into the BJD in presence of MPs Manas Mangaraj, Sasmit Patra and senior BJD MLA Pratap Jena. Salepur MLA Prashanta Behera, Kendrapara MP nominee Ansuman Mohanty were also present during the function.
The former MLA said he joined the BJD after being inspired by the developmental work done by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. He will take part to further carry forward the developmental work in Cuttack district and entire Odisha.
Shri Behera had successfully contested the 2014 Assembly polls from Salepur constituency on Congress ticket. In 2019, he left Congress and joined the BJP. He also contested from the very constituency that year on BJP ticket but lost to BJD’s Prashant Behera.
Shri Behera was earlier the president of the district Congress Committee and has a strong hold in the entire area. If the results of 2019 election are analysed, then BJP was placed in good stead with its candidates securing second position in Salipur, Mahanga, Badamba, Niali and Athagarh Assembly segments. Around 30 per cent of the votes had gone in favour of BJP after he was appointed as district president. So, BJD is going to get mileage from Behera’s joining the party.
Meanwhile, Bhrugu Buxipatra joined the BJD soon after resigning from the BJP. Bhrugu joined the ruling party in presence of Mangaraj, Berhampur MP Chandra Sekhar Sahu, Sasmit Patra and Berhampur MLA Bikram Panda. The BJD leaders said the party’s organization will be further strengthened with his joining.
The joining of Shri Baxipatra in BJD fuels discussions in political circles that the BJD may nominate him for the Berhampur LS seat.
Bhrugu had garnered an impressive 3.49 lakh votes from Berhampur in 2019 but lost to Shri Sahu by a margin of around 94,000 votes.