BJD Stalwart Baijayant Panda Joins BJP, Days Ahead of Lok Sabha Elections 2019

Bhubaneswar, March 4: A year after quitting the Biju Janata Dal, former MP from Kendrapara – Baijayant Panda –  joined Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday, days before the announcement of Lok Sabha elections. He join BJP in the presence of party president Amit Shah  and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Delhi in the evening.

Earlier in January last year, Panda had been suspended from Biju Janata Dal for alleged anti-party activities and following this he resigned from the Lok Sabha seat also in May. It was said that he had differences with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Sources in BJP have confirmed Panda’s joining the party. Lok Sabha Elections 2019: HD Deve Gowda Joins Hands With Congress in Karnataka, Says Seat Sharing Decision Soon. 

Confirming the news BJP national secretary, Suresh Pujari said, as quoted by Hindustan Times, “The discussion was going on for last 2-3 months. If any development has taken place, then the top central leadership would surely be aware. Baijayant would any day be asset for BJP.”

However, with reports pouring in of Panda joining BJP, BJD MP Prasanna Acharya brushed aside the issue and said Panda was free to join whichever party he likes. He said, “His joining BJP would no way impact BJD’s popularity in the polls. In the past several people have left BJD. But the regional party has become more and more popular.”

There are speculations that though Panda is joining BJP, he would not be contesting the Lok Sabha polls and help to get BJD votes split into 30-40 Assembly constituencies in the upcoming Assembly elections, to be held along with Lok Sabha polls.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 04, 2019 05:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).