Bhubaneswar, Sep 27 (PTI) Former BJD MP Arka Keshari Deo on Wednesday returned to the BJP after a gap of about 10 years, claiming that the saffron party is the "only outfit which is working for the welfare of people".

Deo, a member of the Kalahandi royal family, joined the BJP along with his wife Malvika Devi at its state headquarters here in the presence of the party's Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal and other senior leaders.

Also Read | Centre Notifies Appointment of 11 Permanent Judges in Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The former Kalahandi MP said he joined the BJP as he considered that it was the "only party which has been working for the welfare of people and development of the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policies are being appreciated by all".

“So, my supporters have suggested that I must switch over to the BJP,” he said.

Also Read | Cauvery Dispute: BJP MP Tejaswi Surya Slams Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Over Cauvery Water Row, Says 'Failed To Handle Issue'.

Deo had joined the BJD in 2013 after the demise of his father Bikram Keshari Deo, who was a former BJP MP.

He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014 from Kalahandi on a BJD ticket.

Deo was denied a ticket in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, following which he resigned from the ruling party in Odisha.

Sanjukta Singhdeo and Tanmay Singhdeo of the Madanpur-Rampur royal family in Narla of Kalahandi also joined the saffron party.

Prominent educationist Sudhansu Sekhar Nayak of Bant block in Bhadrak district switched over to the BJP after quitting the BJD.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)