BHUBANESWAR: Kendrapara MP and Ollywood star Anubhav Mohanty joined the BJP in Delhi on Monday. He had resigned from the regional party on Saturday.
Mohanty is the second BJD MP after Bhartruhari Mahtab to quit the party ahead of the upcoming general elections. After joining the BJP in the presence of party’s national general secretary Vinod Tawde, Mohanty said he has no complaint against Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik whom he described as a statesman.
Expressing his gratitude to the chief minister for giving him the opportunity to serve the state by sending him to Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, the popular actor of Odisha cinema said, “I consider him a father figure and he will always remain so. There are some reasons for switching to BJP which I do not wish to share.”
On the decision to join the saffron party, Mohanty said he was deeply inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment for a Viksit Bharat. “It was a great learning process for me in the last five years as a member of Lok Sabha. I was really impressed by the dynamism and the historic decisions taken by the prime minister be it the ban on triple talaq, removal of Article 370 or enactment of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita by repealing the outdated British-era provisions in Indian Penal Code,” he said.
“The other reason for me joining the BJP is the pace at which the country is developing in every sphere under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi who has been making constant efforts to make India the number one country in the world. I have decided to contribute my share to fulfil the dream of the prime minister of a developed India. I appeal to youth of the country to join hands to make the prime minister’s great endeavour a reality,” he added.
Welcoming Mohanty to BJP, Tawde said the Opposition is trying to project its strength by coming together but is not succeeding. Those interested in a developed India are supporting the BJP. A resident of Cuttack city, the actor-turned-politician is tipped to be fielded from Cuttack-Barabati Assembly seat.