BHUBANESWAR: A day after resigning from BJP, former Law and Industries Minister Raghunath Mohanty on Sunday said he is open to any potential political force including BJD and Congress.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, the veteran leader from Basta in Balasore district, said he would consult his well-wishers and supporters before deciding the future course of action if he gets an invitation from any party.
“I have snapped five-year-old ties with BJP as my ideology did not match with that of the party and its leadership. Weak leadership of BJP in Balasore district is also one of the reasons behind my resignation. I am now open to all. My next decision will depend on the kind of offer I receive,” he said.
The five-time MLA from Basta had begun his political career from Praja Socialist Party. He later joined Janata Dal and subsequently BJD. He had won twice on a Janata Dal ticket in 1990 and 1995 and thrice on BJD ticket in 2000, 2004 and 2009. Mohanty was removed from the post of vice-president of BJD in 2013 following his arrest in a dowry case slapped by his daughter-in-law Barsa Swony Choudhury. As the situation snowballed into a controversy leading to a high political drama, the party denied him a ticket in 2014.
Mohanty was appointed chairman of Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation with the rank of a cabinet minister in 2018. He, however, resigned from BJD citing personal reasons and joined BJP ahead of 2019 elections as he thought he would be denied a party ticket for Basta then. “I was one of the founding members of BJD, but forced to resign as the party deviated from the ideologies of late Biju Babu. The party is being run by a group with vested interests,” he had then said after resigning from BJD.
Amidst speculations that the 74-year-old politician may return to his old camp BJD and bag a ticket for his daughter-in-law, he made it clear that the latter has already clarified her intentions of not taking part in elections.
There is a strong buzz in the political circles that Mohanty may be considered for Bhograi Assembly constituency or given organisational responsibility if he joins BJD. The party is yet to announce the ticket for the constituency for which incumbent MLA Ananta Das, another veteran, is trying to secure the party’s nomination for his son or daughter-in-law. Das, however, is facing opposition from another BJD faction and party spokesperson Goutam Budhha Das is also eyeing the seat.