BHUBANESWAR : Former MP Bargarh Prabhas Kumar Singh on Monday joined the BJP at the Delhi headquarters of the party in Delhi in the presence of national general secretary Tarun Chugh and other senior leaders.
Singh resigned from the primary membership of the BJD on April 8 after the regional party nominated Parinita Mishra from the Lok Sabha seat. He was BJD MP from Bargarh in 2014.
After joining the BJP, Singh said, “I resigned from the BJD because there is no dignity and self respect in the party. The BJD has drifted away from its core values and the party has no respect for Odia Asmita (pride), its art, culture and heritage.”
Singh said it was a special moment for him as he is joining one of the largest parties in the world. “I am fortunate to join the BJP. I am really impressed by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has done a lot for every section of the society especially the poor, farmers, youth and women of the county in the last 10 years,” he told reporters.
Responding to queries, Singh said he has no ambition to contest from any seat as the BJP has already announced candidates for most of the seats. “I joined the BJP knowing fully well that there is no seat vacant for me. I have joined unconditionally and will do whatever responsibility is given to me by the party,” he added.
Meanwhile, days after quitting BJD, former chairperson of Odisha State Commission for Women (OSCW) Jyoti Panigrahi and her husband Saroj Kumar Panigrahi, former chairpersons of Odisha Cashew Development Corporation, joined BJP here in the presence of state president Manmohan Samal and other senior leaders of the party.