Bhubaneswar: In a major political development in Odisha, veteran leader Bijoy Mohapatra on Thursday returned to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead up Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.
Mohapatra, who had left the saffron party on November 30 last year, returned to the party fold after party’s State In-charge Arun Singh and national Vice-President Baijayant Panda met him at his residence here this morning.
Speaking to media persons, Mohapatra said, “ Party leaders Arun Singh and Baijayant Panda met me toda; BJP national president Amit Shah also telephoned me and we discussed to work together for a change in Odisha and build a new India,”
Sources said, Mohapatra will attend a party programme at Jeypore tomorrow in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to kick start BJP’s poll campaign in Odisha.
In 2014 elections, Mohapatra had unsuccessfully contested from Mahakalapada Assembly Constituency on BJP ticket and lost to BJD’s Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak.
The ensuing simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha are slated to be held in four phases starting from April 11.
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