Bhubaneswar: After Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Rajya Sabha member Mamata Mohanta recently quit her seat and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the saffron camp is now quite upbeat about gathering more strength in the near future by attracting many more potential figures of the regional party to its fold.
According to BJP MLA Ashok Mohanty, several BJD leaders are eager to shift their political allegiance to the ruling BJP in the state.
“Many state-level BJD leaders and MLAs are in touch with the BJP in Odisha. These leaders are keen to join our party as they see no future in BJD which has lost its mission and ideology. We welcome all who want to work for the development of Odisha and India,” Mohanty, a legislator from Pallahara, said on Tuesday.
He also claimed that the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD was on the decline in Odisha while the BJP was on the rise.
Sources in the BJP said at least four more BJD Rajya Sabha members were in touch with BJP central leaders to switch sides.
After the exit of Mamata Mohanta, the BJD now has eight members in Rajya Sabha. If four more BJD Rajya Sabha MPs quit their seats and join the BJP, the saffron party’s dependence on the regional outfit will be lessened to a great extent. Besides, the BJD will lose its bargaining power in national politics.
The BJD, however, dismissed the BJP MLA’s claim.
“The BJD is very much united and stands strong under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik. The BJP is trying its best to destabilise the BJD but it will not succeed,” said Binjharpur MLA and Opposition chief whip in Odisha Assembly, Pramila Mallik.
The BJP came to power on its own in Odisha for the first time after the party secured victory in the assembly polls held early this year by bagging 78 of the 147 seats. The BJD, which ruled the state uninterruptedly from 2000 to 2024, managed to win only 51 seats.
Notably, Mamata Mohanta, a noted Kudumi tribal leader from Mayurbhanj district, joined the BJP after resigning from the Rajya Sabha and the primary membership of BJD a few days ago.
