The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has opened its doors to the members of the Biju Parivar, many of whom had moved away from the party in the last few decades.

The party has welcomed even second-generation leaders — the sons and daughters of former BJD stalwarts — at a time when it is going to decide on a possible alliance with the BJP.

On Thursday, Arabinda Mohapatra, son of former minister Bijoy Mohapatra — the friend-turned-foe of Naveen Patnaik — was inducted into the regional party in the presence of the chief minister and a number of senior leaders.

Bijoy, who was a minister in the cabinet of Naveen’s father Biju Patnaik, was the political affairs committee chairperson of the BJD when the party was formed in 1997 following Biju Patnaik’s death. However, Bijoy and Naveen fell out as the former tried to assert his authority.

Bijoy was denied a party ticket in the 2000 Assembly elections and there was hardly any time left for him to file his nomination as an independent candidate. Since then, the four-time MLA from Patkura has been out of the state Assembly and living almost on the margins of the state politics.

After being thrown out of the BJD, Bijoy formed a political party called Odisha Gana Parishad (OGP) in 2004. The OGP later merged with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Bijoy joined the BJP in 2012 but was never able to return to the Odisha Assembly. However, he remained the fiercest critic of Naveen.

The entry of his son into the BJD is seen as an attempt to revive Bijoy’s relationship with Naveen which could be the beginning of a new chapter in the politics of the state.

Welcoming Arabinda to the BJD, Naveen said: “You have my blessings and please send your father also.”

Arabinda said: “I felt that I needed a platform. I held wide consultations with the people before making this decision. I also took the blessings of Lord Jagannath and my father to start my political career with the BJD as I want to expedite the development of my constituency Patakura.”

Now the sons and daughters of close associates of Biju Patnaik have become active in the BJD. Prominent among them are Pranab Prakash Das, Sambit Routray and Pranab Balabantaray. Pranab Prakash Das is one of the rising stars of the BJD and has been taking an active part in the talks between the BJD and the BJP for a possible alliance.

Earlier in February, Naveen inducted Anshuman Mohanty, a former Congress MLA and son of former minister late Nalinikanta Mohanty, into the BJD. Nalinikanta was also a key architect of the BJD. He was a minister in the Naveen Patnaik government and was considered second in the hierarchy. But Naveen had sacked him during his first term in office in 2000 on corruption charges. However, corruption charges were never proven against Mohanty. Subsequently, he quit the BJD and joined the Congress. Nalinikanta Mohanty passed away in 2012.