KalingaTV News Network
Bhubaneswar: The family and supporters of late Congress MLA from Bijepur Subal Sahu joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) at a special function at the party office here on Saturday.
BJD supremo and Naveen Patnaik formally welcomed Sahu’s wife Rita Sahu, sons Sumit Sahu, Saurabh Sahu and around 5000 of their supporters from Bijepur constituency in Bargarh district.
“Rita Sahu, wife of late Subal Sahu, and other members of his family have joined the Biju Janata Dal today. Also 3,000 Congress workers from Bijepur have joined the party. This will strengthen the BJD,” said Patnaik.
“We joined the BJD today as my husband wished that I should contest the election myself and fulfill all his dreams,” said Rita after joining the BJD.
“We joined BJD as my father had started his career with BJD and was fed up by the infighting among Congress leaders. He had also expressed his willingness to contest the 2019 assembly polls as a BJD candidate after being influenced by the transparent governance of honourable CM Naven Patnaik. Therefore, we and our supporters have come here to fulfill his wish,” said Sumit.
Though BJD is yet to name its candidate for the Bijepur assembly constituency bypoll, it is being speculated that Rita Sahu may be chosen as its candidate.
Subal Sahu, who had won three consecutive terms as MLA as a Congress candidate from the constituency, died on August 22 at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar. He was suffering from cancer.
He had defeated top BJD leader Prasanna Acharya in the 2014 assembly polls.
Ms Kalinga