Bhubaneswar: Expelled BJD leader and Chilika MLA Prasanta Jagdev today joined the BJP here in presence of Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi and BJP Election co-In Charge Lata Usendi.
Shri Jagdev, who was suspended from the ruling BJD in September 2021 over assaulting a Dalit leader of BJP near Chilika and later arrested, joined the saffron camp here at a special function organized at BJP headquarters. The MLA’s supporters also joined the BJP, which would strengthen the party in Khurda district.
Inspired by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shri Jagdev said he has joined the BJP.
Known for being “short-tempered” and “volatile”, he was again arrested in March 2022 for allegedly ploughing his SUV into a crowd of mostly BJP supporters and police personnel, outside Banapur block office in Khurda district.
In July 2022, he was released from Banapur sub-jail in Khurda district after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the case on the condition that he would not visit his assembly constituency for a year.
Earlier this month, Pradeep Panigrahy, a three-time MLA from Gopalpur, had joined the BJP. He was also expelled from the BJD in November, 2020 for his alleged ‘anti-people’ activities.
Similarly, former Minister Debasis Nayak has also joined the BJP camp after resigning from the ruling party. As the election is approaching, many more such leaders would join the BJP because the BJD has the highest number of ticket aspirants.
The party has so far received more than 10,000 applications to get a ticket during the upcoming twin polls.
