Odisha Elections: BJP Gets More Teeth In Sambalpur As BJD Leaders Switch Sides

Bhubaneswar: Hours after quitting BJD, Reena Tanty and her husband Motilal Tanty joined the BJP in Odisha’s Sambalpur on Sunday. 

The duo along with former India hockey captain Prabodh Tirkey was formally inducted into the saffron fold in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra and Rengali MLA Nauri Nayak.

Both Motilal and Reena resigned from the primary membership of BJD earlier in the day, blaming “directionless local leadership in the region and lack of recognition to competence”. While Reena was BJD MLA candidate from Rengali in 2019, her husband was BJD’s ST/SC cell president of Sambalpur district. 

The BJD has fielded Sudarshan Haripal from Rengali in the upcoming elections.

“A new chapter will be written in the politics of Odisha, especially Sambalpur, with these three individuals, representing the Dalit and tribal communities, joining the BJP today,” Dharmendra told reporters at the joining-in ceremony. 

He also spoke about how the Congress humiliated the former hockey captain by withdrawing his nomination and naming Devendra Bhitaria in his place from Talsara Assembly seat. “Three days ago, he had extended his support to BJP during the Union Minister Amit Shah’s rally in Sonepur. This shows the increasing faith in BJP and PM Narendra Modi’s vision of inclusive development and progress for all with ‘Sabka Sath-Sabka Vikas’,” he said.

Tirkey had joined the Congress last year after resigning from his job at Air India as a station manager. He was named MLA candidate from Talsara on April 2, but in its second list on April 14, the party replaced him. He broke down after coming to know that he had been dropped and resigned from the party on April 21.

Dharmendra further said with the Tanty couple will help improve party prospects in Rengali. “Their presence will also help accelerate the social justice movement. They will get their due space and respect in the party. With PM Modi’s guarantee, hopes and aspirations of the poor of Sambalpur, including Rengali constituency, will be fulfilled,” he added.

On April 23, former MLA Raseswari Panigrahi and her supporters had quit BJD, saying that the party has betrayed Sambalpur by fielding an “incapable person” from the Assembly seat for the upcoming polls in Odisha.

Also Read: Raseswari Announces Retirement From Politics After Quitting BJD Over ‘Incapable MLA Candidate’