Bhubaneswar: Former Congress MLA Subal Sahu’s family members including his widow joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) here Saturday in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Those who joined BJD were late Sahu’s wife Ritarani Sahu, his son Sumit Sahu and hundreds of their supporters at Bijepur, Patnaik told reporters. About 3,000 Congress workers from Bijepur have also joined the party. This will strengthen the BJD, he said.
Ritarani Sahu said “We joined the BJD today as per the desire of my late husband. I’ll contest in the by-election.”
Subal Sahu, a three-time MLA from Bijepur, had died August 22.
“My father had started his career with the BJD. He had the wish of contesting in the 2019 Assembly polls from Bijepur constituency as a BJD candidate,’’ said Sumit Sahu.
With Subal Sahu’s family joining the BJD, it is speculated that Ritarani Sahu will contest as a BJD candidate from Bijepur Assembly segment. Sahu was elected to the state legislative Assembly thrice (2004, 2009, 2014) from Bijepur constituency. He had defeated BJD leader Prasanna Acharya in 2014 Assembly polls.
Reacting to the development, Congress chief whip Tara Prasad bahinipati said the incident will have no impact on his party. “There will be no scarcity of candidates for Congress. The BJD has inducted them due to fear of losing in the by-poll,” he said.
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