India News | Odisha: BJP Leader Bijoy Mohapatra's Son Joins BJD

Bhubaneswar, Mar 7 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's political opponent and BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra's son Arabinda Mohapatra on Thursday joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

Arabinda thanked Patnaik and his close aide V K Pandian after joining the BJD at Sankha Bhavan, the party's headquarters here, and a party's scarf was handed over to him.

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He later met the chief minister at his residence, Naveen Niwas.

Arabinda was welcomed in the party by Patnaik, who is also BJD president, in the presence of several leaders, MLAs and observers of Kendrapada district.

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“I welcome Arabinda Mohaptra to the Biju Janata Dal. You (Arabinda) work hard for development of the Kendrapara district. He is the son of Bijoy babu," Patnaik said during a programme at his residence.

Speculations were rife that Arabinda could join the BJD.

According to sources, his father Bijoy Mohapatra's close aides had, in a recent meeting, suggested that Arabinda should join the BJD.

The development comes at a time when the BJP and the BJD are likely to form an alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha and the Odisha Assembly elections, 15 years after their break-up in 2009.

Bijoy, the four-time MLA, was a close aide of late Biju Patnaik, the father of Naveen, and was also instrumental in the formation of BJD.

Bijoy, however, formed the Orissa Gana Parishad in 2001 after he was ousted from the BJD in 2001. He later merged his party with Sharad Pawar's NCP.

The veteran leader joined the BJP after the NCP entered into an alliance with the BJD for the 2009 polls.

(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)