BHUBANESWAR: As the three-tier panchayat polls get closer, crossing over from one political party to the other has started with senior leaders mostly from the opposition BJP and Congress joining the BJD.
Senior BJP leader and former deputy speaker Ramchandra Panda on Thursday joined the ruling BJD. He met BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at his residence and announced that he has joined the ruling party.
“I am delighted that BJP leader Ramachandra Panda has joined the BJD. I welcome him to our party. He will prove to be a tremendous asset to us,” Naveen told mediapersons here.
Panda said he quit BJP because of the manner in which the party is being run now-a-days. “I was feeling uncomfortable in the saffron party for the last one year. Those who were involved in anti-party activities during election time are now being given leadership responsibilities in BJP,” he said.
BJD vice-president Surya Narayan Patro and Higher Education Minister Pradeep Panigrahi were present on the occasion.
On the other hand, another deputy speaker Prahallad Dora quit BJD and joined BJP on Tuesday. Dora said he joined BJP because of the pro-poor initiatives launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A Congress supported panchayat samiti member of Basuaghai on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar Naaba Behera also joined BJP along with her supporters. State president of BJP Basant Panda welcomed the leaders to the party and said their joining will help BJP in the ensuing panchayat polls.