BJP leader Bijoy’s son joins BJD

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s political opponent and BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra’s son Arabinda Mohapatra on Thursday joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Arabinda thanked Naveen and his close aide V K Pandian after joining the BJD at Sankha Bhavan, the party’s headquarters here. A party’s scarf was handed over to him. He later met the Chief Minister at his residence, Naveen Niwas. Arabinda was welcomed in the party by Naveen, who is also BJD president, in the presence of several leaders, MLAs and observers of Kendrapara district. “I welcome Arabinda Mohaptra to the Biju Janata Dal. You (Arabinda) work hard for development of Kendrapara district. He is the son of Bijoy babu,” Naveen said during a programme at his residence. Speculations were rife that Arabinda could join the BJD.

Arabinda thanked the Chief Minister for giving him an opportunity to serve the people of Kendrapara and Odisha through the BJD’s platform. He said he discussed with the people of Patkura and took the blessings of his father before entering politics and joining the BJD.

“Since 2019, I have been visiting various places across Patkura constituency and I feel the need for a platform where I can work for the manifold development of Patkura,” Arabinda said.

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 Lok Sabha and 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.