Ahead of the November 11 Nuapada bypoll, the Opposition BJD suffered a fresh organizational setback with former Rajya Sabha MP and the party’s IT cell chief Amar Patnaik resigning from the party to join the ruling BJP on Monday.
Patnaik, former Indian Audit and Accounts Service officer and one of the prominent intellectual faces of the party, joined BJP at the saffron party’s State office in Bhubaneswar. He joined the party in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Prabhari (in-charge) for Odisha Vijaypal Singh Tomar, Odisha unit BJP president Manmohan Samal besides other senior leaders.
Patnaik’s decision to quit the party and join BJP at a time when the BJD is fighting a tough battle to retain the Nuapada seat has apparently sent a disturbing signal to the party’s top hierarchy. The regional party was also dealt a blow earlier with Jay Dholakia joining BJP and getting the saffron party’s ticket for the bypoll. Death of his father Rajendra Dholakia, BJD MLA, necessitated the bypoll.
BJD continues to bear the brunt of desertion of its leaders and internal squabbling after the poll drubbing in June 2024. The resignation of Mamata Mohanta and Sujeet Kumar, both Rajya Sabha MPs, from the BJD and joining the BJP, was a major blow for the regional outfit which ruled Odisha for 24-years.
The BJD (Biju Janata Dal), which has no member in the Lok Sabha for the first time since its inception in 1997, now has seven MPs in the Rajya Sabha.