BHUBANESHWAR: A day after resigning from Biju Janata Dal (BJD), sitting member of parliament from Nabarangpur Balabhadra Majhi joined the Bharatiya Janata Party at its national headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday.
Majhi who quit the BJD on Thursday claiming that he was ignored said, “I had come to politics to do something for the development of the district (Nabarangpur). When I felt ignored and neglected as I was kept out of discussions and deliberations on organisational issues both in the district and the state level, I thought it best to quit.”
Welcoming Majhi to the party, Union Ministers Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan praised for the former's contribution in the development process for the district in the last five years.
Describing Majhi as one of the best tribal leaders of the country, Oram said the initiatives of former had made it possible for the implementation of several infrastructure projects in the district.
The Union Petroleum Minister said Majhi inclusion will strengthen the party. He gave the credit to the former BJD leader for bringing his district into the railway map.
“Welcome to BJP! I know how you were mistreated & stymied from working. I look forward to working together for the development of Odisha and India”, tweeted party's national vice-president Baijayant Panda.
A former employee of the railways, Majhi was offered the BJD ticket to contest the Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituency in 2014.
National BJP general secretary and Odisha in-charge Arun Singh was also present at the joining ceremony.