New Delhi: Former BJD lawmaker Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday, giving a boost to the party in Odisha where it is looking to improve its tally in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The Assembly poll in the state is likely to be held along with the parliamentary elections, and the party hopes that the presence of Panda will brighten its prospects, especially in coastal Odisha.
Panda met BJP chief Amit Shah and joined the party at its office in the national capital.
Panda, who owns an influential media empire in the state, had been a leading parliamentarian of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal before he fell out with its leadership.
Amid his perceived proximity with the BJP, the BJD suspended him last year for “anti-party” activities.
He then resigned from the BJD and also the Lok Sabha, where he represented Kendrapara constituency twice. He has also represented the state in the Rajya Sabha.
The BJD had accused him of “anti-party activities” to justify his suspension. It later alleged that he was involved in money laundering as it sought a probe.
Panda had denied the charge.
Odisha has 21 parliamentary constituencies and the BJD had won 20 of them in 2014. The BJP had won only one seat — Sundargarh, represented by Union minister for tribal affairs Jual Oram.
The BJP has identified Odisha as one of the priority states ahead of the polls. In the 2017 state rural elections, the BJP emerged as the second largest party, pushing the Congress to the third spot.
Also read: Naveen Patnaik inaugurates welfare projects worth Rs 150 crore for Odisha
Well he did not comment about content of shout which is important if your office is taking money behind your back what will you do
Baijayanta Panda has been the blue eyed boy of Naveen Pattanaik from 1999.He has served him will all earnestness and loyalty.But he was ruined by Naveen Pattanaik once he fall out of him.He warned him about encroachment of all powers of CM by few Babus.But that cost him his post and Party.Now BJD is a Party of Tamilians.From Prabhakaran of Triveni to Pandian all hold Naveen imprisoned and rule.
Prabhakaran has so much powers in the corridor that he kidnapped and married an IAS lady officer of Odisha cadre.
After removal of P.M.Mohapatra to dustbin from sky by Naveen Pattanaik he gets support from Tamilians.
But on that fateful night when PMM raised rebellion against NP while he was at London,JP saved him and defeated PMM.
But fate is otherwise and he lost to babus.
BJD should be happy that he left them. I don’t know him except through his articles in newspapers. I always felt that he must have either bribed or used his influence to get those inane articles published.
Anyone who joins or supports BJP has to be insensitive to crass and inhuman behavior. I didn’t know Jay Panda was that kind of a guy.
Whenever I read his columns in ToI, would check the blurb at the bottom, waiting for the third letter to flip from D to P.