BHUBANESWAR: A day after announcing his resignation from BJD, popular cine actor and former MLA from Korei Akash Das Nayak joined BJP while the party’s pick for Cuttack Lok Sabha seat Bhartruhari Mahtab was given a rousing reception after his return from Delhi.
The mood was upbeat at the BJP state headquarters here as Das Nayak arrived there along with his supporters. He joined the saffron party in the presence of state unit president Manmohan Samal, other senior leaders of the party and all of his BJD colleagues who had earlier joined the party.
Addressing a well-attended joining ceremony, Das Nayak said, “Inspired by the Viksit Bharat call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I decided to join the BJP. I will do my bit for development of the state and fulfil the aspirations of residents of Korei.”
Asserting that the fight for the upcoming polls is aimed at restoring Odia pride, the actor-turned-politician said his priority will always be Korei Assembly constituency and its people. Das Nayak who represented Korei from 2014 to 2019 said several of his dreams for the constituency remain unfulfilled and BJP will be the medium to realise them.
Earlier in the day, Mahtab who joined BJP in Delhi on March 28, was given a grand reception by party workers at the city airport after his arrival from the national capital. He was taken to the party office in a motorcade where he was given a rousing welcome. In response to the reception, Mahtab said the citadel of ruling BJD is crumbling and the regional party is very much aware of it.
He said the state is poised for a big political change on June 4, the day election results will be announced. The state is going to have a double-engine government. It will fulfil the aspirations of people by delivering Modi guarantee and take the state to pinnacle of progress.
The six-time MP quit the BJD on March 22 and joined BJP on Thursday along with former BJD MP Siddhant Mohapatra and noted Santali litterateur Damayanti Besra.