BHUBANESWAR: A day after severing ties with the BJP, senior leader from Bargarh Subas Chauhan on Wednesday joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) with a vow to avenge the injustice done to him and break the monopoly of a few who think that the saffron party is their fiefdom. “This is a fight against injustice and arrogance of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan who has been imposing his authority on the BJP. I have joined BJD without any pre-condition and will do whatever responsibility will be given to me,” Chauhan said after joining the regional party.
Coming down heavily on the autocratic nature of Pradhan, Chauhan said thousands of BJP workers are suffering silently and the day is not far when their anger will burst and the situation will be explosive.
Claiming that he has dedicated himself for the service of the Sangh Parivar for the last 30 years, Chauhan said he and his supporters in Bargarh were subjected to torture and humiliation in the last five years. “We have been tolerating this hoping good sense will prevail in the BJP leadership and the top brass of the RSS. When the water went over the head I decided to quit,” he told media persons.
Asked about his equation with the ruling party candidate for Bargarh Lok Sabha seat Prasanna Acharya, the former Bajranj Dal national convenor said the BJD leader started his career from RSS. “We have the same wavelength as we belong to the same school of thought. There will be no problem for me to work with the senior BJD leader,” he said.
Asked if he will contest from any seat in this elections, Chauhan said he will do whatever responsibility will be given to him by the party. “I hail from a humble background and have no ambition. I am a disciplined worker and respect the party decision,” he said.
Responding to another query, he said, “I preferred to join BJD as I am highly impressed by the simplicity and simple living of BJD chief Naveen Patnaik.”The Chief Minister said, “I am glad that Subas Chauhan, senior BJP leader from Western Odisha, and hundreds of his supporters have joined the BJD. I welcome him to the party. His joining will further strengthen BJD in Western Odisha.”