BHUBANESWAR: Former BJD MLA of Telkoi Bedabyasa Nayak on Tuesday joined the BJP along with his supporters at the party’s state headquarters here in the presence of state senior leader and BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma.
Nayak is the second BJD leader from the constituency after sitting MLA from Telkoi Premananda Nayak to join the saffron party. While the two leaders are vying for a nomination from the seat, the BJP is yet to finalise its nominee for the constituency. The BJP candidate from the seat in the 2019 election Dhanurjaya Sidu has been nominated by the BJD from Keonjhar Lok Sabha seat.
Bedabyasa was elected from Telkoi in the 2014 election on a BJD ticket. He did not contest the 2019 election after being denied ticket by the regional party which fielded Premananda in his place. The latter was elected from the seat on a BJD ticket in 2009.
Of the six Assembly segments under Keonjhar parliamentary seat, the BJP is yet to name candidates for Telkoi (ST), Ghasipura and Champua seats. Akhil Chandra Naik has been named from the Patna (ST) Assembly seat in the second list published on the day.