Lok Sabha Polls: BJD MLA Arabinda Dhali quit to join BJP, cites in Naveen Patnaik's party ‘nobody listens to anyone’
Rahul Gandhi slams ‘BJP-BJD partnership’ in Odisha during Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra As reported by ANI, Dhali alleged, “I like BJP, it is an independent party. BJD is not independent. The administration in BJD is not going well, nobody listens to anyone." Initially elected to the assembly from the Malkangiri constituency in 1992 in a by-election under the BJP banner, he secured re-election for two consecutive terms.
He switched allegiance to the BJD and successfully contested from the Jayadev constituency in 2009, a victory he repeated in the 2019 elections. Arabinda Dhali, a law graduate, served as a minister in the BJD-BJP coalition government under Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. During his tenure, he held key portfolios including Cooperation (2000-2004), Textiles and Handloom (2000-2002), and Commerce and Transport (2002-2004).
Despite Dhali's move to join the BJP, the BJD asserted that it would not adversely affect the party. “Ahead of elections, it is normal for many political leaders to switch from one party to another. The leaders, whose winning chances are very low and are aware that the party is not going to give them nominations, are leaving the BJD," senior BJD leader Raj Kishore Das said.
In a recent development, expelled BJD MLAs Pradeep Panigrahy and Prashant Jagdev have aligned themselves with the BJP. Additionally, former BJD Minister Debasis Nayak has also crossed over to the BJP camp. Furthermore, Rajendra Das, another ousted BJD leader and former MLA, is reportedly on the brink of joining the BJP as well.
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