Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: In setback for the state unit of the Congress ahead of its statewide ‘Dhikkar Diwas’ June 10, 70 Congress members, along with a few BJP members, all from the tribal dominated Koraput district, joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) here Thursday.
Those who joined the BJD include Congress leader and former Borigumma block chairman Dhwaja Hota, Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik said.
The members of these two opposition parties, led by BJD leader from Jeypore Rabi Narayan Nanda met Patnaik at his residence here before they joined the ruling party.
The opposition members said that Patnaik’s strong leadership in the state motivated them to join the BJD.
“The inclusion of hundreds of workers from opposition in the BJD will increase our organisational strength in Koraput ahead of the ensuing panchayat polls,” said Nanda.
Sources said the move is a setback for the state Congress, which had performed well in the recent civic bypolls and is gearing up to hold ‘Dhikkar Diwas’ Friday against the alleged misrule of the BJD government and the NDA government in the last two years.
The setback has come a day after Congress veteran Hemananda Biswal’s statement that some leaders and workers in the party are not happy with the style of functioning of the Congress leadership in the state.
The decision of some BJP members to join the BJD has also raised concern among leaders of the saffron camp.
However, Congress leaders have said that this will not hamper the party’s growth in the state and would have no impact on the ‘Dhikkar Diwas’.
BJP leaders have also said that their party will suffer no loss with some members joining the ruling party and vowed to continue their fight against the BJD’s alleged misrule in the state.
