BHUBANESWAR: Congress today brought back to the party Shivaji Majhi, a former MLA from Lanjigarh, who was suspended for flouting party whip during the Rajya Sabha polls in 2010. Former Kandhamal MP Nakul Nayak also joined Congress.
Welcoming the two leaders, president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Prasad Harichandan said the return of Majhi will strengthen the party organisation in Kalahandi district.
Nayak's joining Congress will also strengthen the organisation in Kandhamal, he said.
Criticising the BJD government in Odisha for pursuing ant-dalit and anti-tribal policies, Harichandan said both the leaders have been inducted to the party following a decision taken by All India Congress Committee (AICC) on the recommendations of the Kalahandi and Kandhamal District Congress Committees (DCCs).
Senior Congress leader Bhakta Charan Das said Majhi's return to Congress will be help the party in Lanjigarh for the panchayat polls. "The party has taken up blockwise programmes and Majhi will strengthen Lanjigarh block organisation," Das said
Kalahandi District Congress Committee president Gobardhan Das also welcomed Majhi to the party.
Majhi and then Rajgangpur Congress MLA Gregory Minz had abstained from voting during in the 2010 Rajya Sabha polls flouting party whip resulting in the victory of BJD's fourth candidate Baishnab Parida. Majhi was suspended from Congress in June, 2011. His suspension was revoked in January, 2014. However, Majhi joined BJP after the Congress did not give him ticket to contest the assembly polls.