Berhampur: Opposition BJD suffered a setback on its 28th foundation day on Thursday when chairpersons of two panchayat samitis and several sarpanchs and samiti members in Ganjam district joined the BJP.
K Priyadarshini Achary, who is the chairperson of Buguda panchayat, joined BJP, along with several of her supporters which included samiti members and sarpanchs. The switchover was made at a meeting in Buguda in the presence of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who welcomed Achary and her supporters into the party. “BJP’s organisation in Ganjam district would be strengthened with their joining,” Pradhan said at the meeting which was also attended by state fisheries and animal resources development minister Gokulanand Mallick.
On the other hand, Bhanjanagar MLA Pradyumna Nayak welcomed Bhanjanagar panchayat’s chairperson, Narasabha Nayak, along with three samiti members, into the saffron party fold.
“There will be no impact on the party organisation due to some people quitting the party,” Ramesh Chandra Chaupatnaik, former MLA and BJD’s Ganjam district president, said.
On Thursday, BJD celebrated its 28th foundation day in the district by garlanding the statue of former chief minister Biju Patnaik.