Ex-IAS Officer Ashwini Vaishnav Joins BJP In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Former IAS officer Ashwini Vaishnav formally joined BJP on Thursday.

The former bureaucrat, who was fielded by BJP as a Rajya Sabha candidate from Odisha and supported by the ruling BJD, joined the saffron party in the presence of BJP state president Basant Panda and senior leaders at the party’s state headquarters here.

Speaking on the occasion, Panda said BJP had sought BJD’s support for the candidature of Vaishnav as a Rajya Sabha member from Odisha for the inclusive development of the state. “Since the ruling party has extended its support, we welcome its decision,” he added.

Thanking BJP for giving him the opportunity to serve the people of Odisha, Vaishnav said he will try his best to ensure the development and growth of the state.

Briefing mediapersons, BJD leader Naba Das said whatever decision Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has taken is always for the benefit of the people of Odisha. “In this context, I think that the decision taken by the CM on this matter is a welcome step,” he added.

In his reaction, another BJD leader Prafulla Samal said it was the Chief Minister’s prerogative to decide the candidate for the Upper House of parliament. He, however, said that considering different compulsions and necessities, Naveen Patnaik has taken the right decision.

Asked whether the Chief Minister had no option but to agree to the BJP’s proposal, Samal said the former has taken the decision following a request by the Prime Minister. “But it does not mean that BJD will dance to the tune of BJP as and when it wants.

Meanwhile, Congress reacted by saying that Vaishnav’s joining BJP had thoroughly exposed the unholy nexus between BJD and BJP.

“When the BJP is all set to become the main opposition in the Odisha Assembly, the party supremo has sought the support from BJD, which by far is rare in the political history of the state. The people of Odisha want to know the reason behind the ‘seat-for-support’ deal between these two parties,” Congress spokesperson Satya Prakash Nayak told the media at Congress Bhawan here.