Former Biju Janata Dal MP Baijayant Jay Panda joined the BJP on Monday, nine months after he had quit the Odisha party following a bitter fallout with chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
Panda met BJP president Amit Shah soon after joining the party and praised his and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
A Lok Sabha member since 2000, Panda represented the Kendrapara constituency and his switch is widely perceived as part of the BJP’s bid to make inroads into Odisha.
Lok Sabha and Assembly polls are slated to be held in the state simultaneously.
Although Panda quit the BJD in May 2018, he had been suspended from the party earlier in January for challenging Patnaik.
About his joining the BJP, Panda tweeted: “Nine months of introspection & widespread consultations w/colleagues & public. Grateful for support recd from all over. On auspicious #MahaShivratri I’ve decided to join @BJP4India & work under the leadership of @narendramodi Ji to serve Odisha & India to the best of my ability.’’
