Odisha Polls: Former Bhatli MLA Bimbadhar Kuanr Returns To BJP After Resigning From BJD

Bhubaneswar: Former MLA from Bhatli constituency in Odisha’s Bargarh district, Bimbadhar Kuanr, resigned from BJD and joined BJP on Monday.

It was a homecoming for Kuanr as he had left BJP in 2014 to join the BJD. The former minister was welcomed to the party by BJP’s state president Manmohan Samal at a function in the party office in Bhubaneswar.

Speaking on the occasion, Kuanr said he was disillusioned by the BJD’s clean image as the ruling party was deep in corruption. He alleged that the mine owners were calling the shots in the party.

Kuanr, a respected leader of Bargarh district, had held the post of Odisha president of BJP. He was also elected twice from Bhatli as BJP candidate in 2000 and 2004.

But, even after he joined the BJD, the party has continued to nominate Sushant Singh for Bhatli seat. Singh won from the constituency as BJD candidate for third consecutive time in 2019 elections. He had defeated Irasis Acharya of BJP by over 23,000 votes. He has been nominated by the party from the seat this time also.