Ex-minister Ganeswar joins BJD

Former Odisha minister Ganeswar Behera, who had recently resigned from the Congress, joined the Biju Janata Dal on Sunday. The BJD is likely to field Ganeswar, a Dalit leader, from Kendrapara Assembly segment which is reserved for the Scheduled Caste candidates, party sources said.

Ganeswar, along with hundreds of his supporters, switched sides in the presence of BJD’s Rajya Sabha members Manas Magaraj and Sasmit Patra and former minister Pratap Jena here at the party’s headquarters, Sankha Bhawan.

“Inspired by the developmental work and welfare measures taken by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, I have joined the BJD,” Ganeswar said.

The former State minister said he crossed over to the ruling party to participate in the development process and expedite welfare work in Kendrapara district. Ganeswar had on April 2 resigned from the Congress.

In the 2019 polls, Shashi Bhusan Behera of the BJD had won the Kendrapara Assembly seat by defeating Ganeswar by a margin of 6,320 votes.