New Delhi: A day after resigning from Rajya Sabha and also Biju Janata Dal (BJD), tribal leader Mamata Mohanta today formally joined the BJP in the party’s national headquarters here.
Shrimati Mohanta joined the saffron party in presence of BJP general secretary Arun Singh, party’s Odisha in-charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar, Law Minister Prtithviraj Harichandan, Berhampur MP Pradeep Panigrahi Aska MP Anita Subhadarsini and Mayurbhanj MP Naba Charan Majhi and other senior leaders.
After joining the BJP, Shrimati Mohanta said she joined the party after being inspired by the developmental work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
She thanked BJD Supremo Naveen Patnaik for giving her the opportunity to serve her community and people of Mayurbhanj.
“During past few days, I observed that there is no requirement of my services as well as my community in the Biju Janata Dal. Therefore, I have taken this hard decision in the public interest,” she said.
Shrimati Mohanta said she joined the BJP to serve her tribal community and people of Odisha in a greater way.
The former MP thanked the Prime Minister, BJP President J P Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP’s Odisha in-charge, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for welcoming her to the party.
Reacting on Shrimati Mohanta’s joining in the BJP, senior BJD leader Sarojini Hembram said the BJD has given her opportunity to serve the people and her community by nominating her in different positions starting from Zilla Parishad to Rajya Sabha.
The reason mentioned by Shrimati Mohanta in her resignation letter is baseless and ridiculous and she resigned from the BJD to fulfil her own political gain, she said.
“By doing so, she has not only betrayed her Kurmi community but also people of entire Mayurbhanj. The people of Mayurbhanj will give her a befitted reply in coming days,” the senior BJD leader said.
After examining the entire episode, it shows that there was a conspiracy by a national party in this move of Shrimati Mohanta, she claimed.
Following the resignation of Shrimati Mohanta from RS, the BJD strength in the Upper House went down to 8.
With 21 months left to her six-year tenure, BJP is likely to send her again from Odisha from BJP, or a political heavyweight, political observers feel.