BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra’s son joins BJD

BHUBANESHWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik welcomed Arabinda Mohapatra, son of former minister and senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra, to Biju Janata Dal (BJD) here on Thursday.

Naveen advised him to work hard for the district of Kendrapada. “You have my blessings and please send your father also,” said the BJD supremo while meeting Arabinda at the BJD at Naveen Niwas here.

In response, Arabinda thanked Naveen for the warm welcome. “I have been touring the Patkura assembly constituency since 2019. I felt the need of a proper platform for taking up the development issues of Patkura. I discussed this with Patkura people at length and took blessings from my father before joining BJD,” he added.

Arabinda said he will work for further development of the Patkura constituency. His supporters also joined the BJD.

“It is a matter of happiness that Bijoy Mohapatra’s son came to our party fold. He will work for Kendrapada and Odisha under the leadership of chief minister Naveen Patnaik,” said BJD leader Pratap Jena at party headquarters during the induction of Arabinda.

Arabinda’s father, a veteran politician, was a four-time MLA from Patkura. This former minister was a founding member of BJD. He has worked with former Odisha chief minister Biju Patnaik.

Bijoy, a founding member of BJD, had an unceremonious exit from the regional party. In the 2000 election, Naveen had denied him a party ticket at the last moment. Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak had contested election from BJD then. But Atanu was defeated by a margin of more than 50,000 votes and the voters of Patkura had elected Bijoy’s supported candidate Trilochan Behera. However, Behera betrayed Bijoy by joining BJD.