Bhubaneswar: The BJD on Thursday appointed former minister and Simulia MLA Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi as the president of its Balasore unit.
This came a day after Panigrahi resigned from the primary membership of the party. He was apparently upset after the BJD nominated Subhasini Sahoo from Simulia this time.
In a video message, the outgoing legislator said his late father Parshuram Panigrahi was associated with former chief minister Biju Patnaik, after whom the BJD has been named, for over 40 years and he also served the party for 10 years. “My family will continue to serve the people of Khaira and Simulia. I also hope for your cooperation,” he added.
In 2019, Panigrahi retained the seat, which he had won in 2014, by defeating Padmalochan Panda of BJP by a margin of 14,959 votes. Playing the women card, the BJD, however, nominated Subhasini Sahoo. She is the wife of Shashi Kumar Sahoo, who unsuccessfully contested from the Assembly segment on BJP ticket in 2014.
