Bhubaneswar: Former Bissam Cuttak MLA and BJP leader Sarangdhar Kadraka and former Bargarh MLA and Congress leader Sadhu Nepak joined the BJD at Naveen Niwas in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Sunday.
Kadraka was elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly twice in 1990 and 2000 on Janata Dal and BJD tickets respectively. He had switched over to the BJP in 2014.
Kadraka contested the Assembly polls in 2014 on a BJP ticket and was defeated. This time, he was not given ticket by the saffron party. A large number of supporters of the former legislator also joined the regional party along with Kadraka Sunday.
Former Congress MLA from Bargarh Sadhu Nepak resigned from the party, expressing resentment over denial of ticket.
His latest move came after the Congress released the list of candidates for six Lok Sabha and 36 Assembly seats Saturday night in which Nepak’s name didn’t find place.
Nepak was a ticket aspirant from Bargarh Assembly segment. But, the party gave to ticket Nipan Dash in the place of Nepak.
Expressing resentment over this snub, he said that the party had promised to field him from Bargarh. But at the last moment, his was excluded from the list, Nepak claimed.
“After the list was released, my supporters were shocked to find another name. They suggested me to snap ties with the Congress. I took the decision following suggestions of my supporters and the people of my constituency,” Nepak said.
On the occasion, BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik said both the leaders will be of great help for the party in their respective districts.
PNN
