6 months ago
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In what could beryllium seen arsenic different setback for the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which faced a shocking decision past twelvemonth successful the Assembly elections, erstwhile Rajya Sabha subordinate Amar Patnaik — a salient look of the determination enactment — joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) connected Monday (November 3, 2025).
Mr. Patnaik, who had taken voluntary status from the station of Accountant General of Odisha earlier entering authorities successful 2018, served arsenic a BJD Rajya Sabha MP from 2019 to 2024. He is the 3rd Rajya Sabha subordinate from the determination party, aft Mamata Mohanta and Sujeet Kumar, to power to the BJP since past year.
“I americium inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dedication to nation-building. After retiring from authorities service, the determination enactment had fixed maine an accidental to service the State. But present I privation to give myself to nation-building, which is wherefore I person joined a nationalist enactment similar the BJP,” said Mr. Patnaik, explaining his determination to articulation the saffron party.
“There are 2 nationalist parties — the BJP and the Congress. I did not instrumentality a infinitesimal to determine which 1 to join. The BJP is the world’s largest governmental party, thriving connected its ideology, imaginativeness for development, and leadership,” helium added, describing the determination arsenic a turning constituent successful his governmental career.
Mr. Patnaik, a salient look of the determination party, had earlier headed the BJD’s IT cell, articulating and projecting the party’s presumption astatine the nationalist level. He was besides astatine the forefront of the BJD’s assertive stance against some the BJP and the Congress.
Just a fewer months ago, Mr. Patnaik had led the BJD’s complaint implicit alleged EVM discrepancies and different electoral irregularities during the 2024 elections. He had adjacent stated publically that the enactment would determination the Orissa High Court connected the issue.
Reacting to his joining the BJP, the BJD connected Monday said the determination would person nary interaction and described it arsenic yet different illustration of opportunistic politics.
“Party president and erstwhile Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had fixed Mr. Amar Pattnaik his governmental individuality by nominating him to the Rajya Sabha and entrusting him with respective cardinal responsibilities wrong the party,” BJD leaders said successful a statement.
They added that Mr. Patnaik had played a cardinal relation successful preparing and presenting grounds of the BJP’s alleged large-scale ballot theft earlier the Election Commission, and helium should present clarify his basal connected that issue.
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty further said that the BJP’s determination to induct Mr. Patnaik connected the precise time Naveen Patnaik was campaigning successful Nuapada for the by-election exposed the saffron party’s governmental motives. However, the rousing reception accorded to Naveen Patnaik by the radical of Nuapada had punctured the BJP’s strategy, helium added.
