Bhubaneswar: Governing Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the largest political force in Odisha, today again welcomed two other party leaders just a few days ahead of elections for Lok Sabha and State Assembly.
Former Minister and senior Congress leader Ganeswar Behera and BJP State Vice-President Lekhashree Samantsinghar joined the BJD, after resigning from their respective parties. Lekhashree joined the BJD just a few hours after resigning from the BJP while Behera had resigned from Congress on April 2.
Shri Behera, a tall leader from Kendrapara district, along with hundreds of his supporters formally inducted in the BJD in presence of BJD’s Rajya Sabha MPs Manas Mangaraj and Sasmit Patra and former minister Pratap Jena here at party office Sankha Bhawan.
“Inspired by the developmental works and welfare measures taken by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, I have joined the BJD,” he said.
Shri Behera said he joined the ruling party to participate in the developmental process and expedite the developmental works in Kendrapara district. On April 2, he resigned from the primary membership of the party.
Following his joining, the BJD is likely to field Behera from the Kendrapara assembly segment which is reserved for the scheduled caste candidates.
In the 2019 polls, Shashi Bhusan Behera of BJD had won the seat by defeating Ganeswar Behera by a margin of 6,320 votes.
Similarly, Lekhasree is the second BJP Odisha vice-president after Bhrugu Baxipatra to resign from the BJP weeks before the polls and join the BJD.
In her resignation letter to Odisha BJP President Manmohan Samal, Lekhasree said that she decided to quit the saffron party having “failed” to earn the trust of the leadership.
“I have given my sweat and blood to the Bharatiya Janata Party for the last ten years. However, despite all the sincerity and hard work, I could not earn the trust of the leadership. Hence, I feel there is nothing left for me to do here and my desire to serve the people of Odisha is being hampered,” Lekhasri said in the letter.
“It is difficult to change after sweating for a party that did not recognise my hard work. I thank BJD for accepting me. I am inspired by the developmental activities of chief minister Naveen Patnaik. I will do my best for the BJD,” she told reporters after joining the regional party at ‘Sankha Bhavan’, the BJD state headquarters.
Since BJD has yet to announce the name of its candidate from the Balasore Lok Sabha seat, she may try for a ticket to the Balasore Lok Sabha seat.
The BJD in 2019 had fielded seven women candidates for the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state. However, this time, the party has nominated only six women candidates so far.
