Bhubaneswar: In a jolt to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of Jharsuguda Assembly bypoll in Odisha next week, the saffron party’s district unit president Mangal Sahoo quit the post and joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday.
Sahoo said he decided to leave the saffron party and join BJD as he was immensely inspired Chief Minister and party president Naveen Patnaik’s ideals. He joined BJD in the presence of senior party party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Manas Mangaraj at Sankha Bhavan in Bhubaneswar.
Stating that he worked in BJP for many years, Sahoo said he strengthened the organisation by working hard while holding different posts including Jharsuguda district unit president. However, he decided to quit the party as BJP has now deviated from its ideology and principles, he said.
Sahoo claimed that many leaders in BJP are now unhappy as the party is indulging in cheap politics over the murder of minister Naba Kishore Das instead of highlighting other important issues.
Mangaran said Mangal Sahoo’s entry into BJD will further strengthen the party in Jharsuguda and boost its prospects in the forthcoming bypoll.
Shortly after joining the regional party, Sahoo met Naveen Patnaik and had a brief interaction with him, sources said.
Mangal Sahoo was among the star campaigners of BJP for Jharsuguda Assembly by-election slated to be held on May 10. BJP has fielded youth leader Tankadhar Tripathy for the bypoll. His move to join the BJD is seen as a set back for BJP at a time when campaigning is gaining momentum for the bypoll.
While Sahoo’s entry into BJD is considered as a shot in the arm for the ruling party, senior BJP leaders claimed that the development will not make any impact on the saffron party’s poll prospects.
BJP leader Dilip Mallick claimed that the people of Jharsuguda are jointly fighting the ruling BJD as they are disillusioned with its misrule for the last 23 years. Sahu’s exit will make no difference to BJP in Jharsuguda, he said.
