Jolt to BJD as founding member, six-time MP joins BJP

Biju Janata Dal founding member and six-time Cuttack Lok Sabha MP Bhartruhari Mahtab joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi on Thursday, dealing a big blow to the Odisha's ruling party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Mahtab, 67, joined the BJP in the presence of senior leaders at the party headquarters in New Delhi.

Along with him, former BJD MP Sidhant Mohapatra and noted Santhali language litterateur Damayanti Beshra, who was conferred the Padma Shri in 2020, also joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, party national vice president Baijayant Jay Panda, party's Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal and other senior leaders.

Addressing a joint press conference in New Delhi after joining the BJP, Mahtab, son of former chief minister Harekrushna Mahtab, said he will now get the opportunity to work for the development and progress of Odisha.

"Prime Minister Modi's 'shakti (strength)', Home Minister's 'vishwas (trust)' and (BJP chief) J P Nadda ji's 'prerna (inspiration)' will help us move forward," he said.

Odisha is going to witness a change due to Prime Minister Modi's leadership. This change is going to be steered by Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior leaders of the BJP, Mahtab said. "I am going to start a new innings with a new team."

Welcoming them into the party fold, BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde said they have joined as they are 'impressed' by Prime Minister Modi's leadership and his government work in various sectors.

They have joined the BJP at a time when Odisha is witnessing a change in the political scenario, Tawde said.

"And I am confident that the party, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, will succeed in bringing the change that people of Odisha want to see in the state."

Addressing the press conference, Mohapatra expressed gratitude towards Nadda and other senior BJP leaders for his induction into the party and said India has transformed under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi.

"I want to see the same transformation happening in Odisha as well."

Beshra said she will work for the welfare of the people of Odisha and also contribute in taking forward Prime Minister Modi's 'sabka saath, sabka vikas (together with all, development for all)' slogan.

"A wind of change is certainly blowing in Odisha this time. People's faith in the BJP's ideals has further strengthened," she said.

"I will work for the empowerment and progress of women. I want to assure that I will fulfil any responsibility that the party would give to me."

Mahtab, a six-time MP from the Cuttack Lok Sabha constituency, had resigned from the primary membership of the BJD last Friday.

A founding member of the BJD, he was elected to Lok Sabha from Cuttack in 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019.

Contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha polls on a BJD ticket, he had defeated the BJP's Prakash Mishra with a huge margin of votes.