BERHAMPUR: Expelled BJD leader and Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahy created a flutter in political circles after he heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and assured to vote for NDA’s Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu on Thursday.
Panigrahy said in his eight years of rule, Modi has done a lot for Odisha and placed several eminent Odia personalities at top posts of the country. “People of Odisha are indebted to Modiji for nominating Murmu for the highest constitutional post. No other Prime Minister has accorded so much respect to Odia people like Modiji,” he said.
The expelled BJD leader said he will vote for Murmu. “As an Independent legislator, I will support the NDA Presidential candidate. She is the daughter of Odisha and deserves full support.” Notably, Panigrahy had last month asserted that he was still in BJD. “My name is at serial number 26 in the BJD list of Odisha Legislative Assembly,” he had said.
Panigrahy, a three-time MLA, was once the most trusted aide of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. But he was suspended from the primary membership of BJD in November 2020 for his alleged links with Abhay and his son Akash, accused of duping job seekers to the tune of crores of rupees.
The MLA was subsequently arrested by the Crime Branch on charges of forgery and cyber crime. He was in jail till the Orissa High Court granted him bail in connection with the job fraud case on June 11 2021.
After his release from jail, Panigrahy remained indoors and was hardly seen in the public. He also did not visit his constituency during the panchayat and urban local body elections held earlier this year.