Former BJP president and minister Bimbadhar Kuanr on Monday resigned from the party and joined the ruling BJD.
Kunar, who was elected thrice from Bhatli, met Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik at Naveen Nivas where he announced his joining the BJD.
“I was being consistently sidelined in the BJP,” Kuanr said after joining the ruling party. Welcoming Kuanr into the party, Naveen said he will be an asset to the party.
Kuanr was first elected to the Assembly in 1977 on Janata Party ticket.
He was Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Higher Education in the first BJD-BJP coalition Government headed by Naveen in 2000.
Kuanr, who was being seen at Naveen Nivas during last few days, went to the State BJP office here and handed over his resignation letter to party president KV Singhdeo.