Ex-NALCO Chief Tapan Chand Joins BJP; Induction Spree In Odisha Ahead Of Elections

Bhubaneswar: Former Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of NALCO  Tapan Chand joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of party Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal here on Wednesday.

After the joining event, Chand said, “The BJP is the largest platform for development and prosperity of India which is why I decided to be party of it. I had an opportunity to implement the development agenda of PM Modi during my stint at NALCO. So, development has become a habit. PM Modi’s dedication, hard work and work ethic inspires me.”

Chand was associated with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) during his college days. He was also the students union president of Utkal University in Bhubaneswar, from where he graduated as a gold medalist.

He took charge as full-time CMD of Navratna PSU, National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), on July 25, 2015. Two years later, he joined as the director of Central Coalfields Limited. He also served Vedanta as Resident Director of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. He has over 3 decades of experience in mining and metal sector.

Ahead of the simultaneous election in Odisha, the BJP has been witnessing an induction spree.

On March 4, former Odisha Minister Nabin Chandra Narayan Das and several other leaders joined the BJP in the presence of Union Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan in Dhenkanal. Telkoi MLA and former Minister Pramenanda Nayak and former legislator Rajendra Das also joined the saffron outfit on this day.

On March 3, former IAS officer and litterateur Hrusikesh Panda, retired Air Marshal of Indian Air Force Dilip Kumar Patnaik and former Joint Secretary of Rajya Sabha Ramakanta Das joined the Odisha unit of the BJP. A day after announcing his resignation from BJD, Jayadev MLA Arabinda Dhali returned to the Lotus party. Senior tribal leader and former MLA from Malkangiri Mukunda Sodi also embraced the saffron colour on this day.

Chilika MLA Prasanta Jagadev and Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi, who were earlier expelled from BJD, joined the BJP on February 29 and February 21, respectively. They were followed by senior BJD leader and former state minister Debasis Nayak.