--Dissidents join BJP: Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has faced an avalanche of desertions by the party's sitting and former lawmakers, most of whom joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

This prompted BJP State president Manmohan Samal to renew his claim that the BJP would form the next State Government.

Over 15 senior leaders of the party, including four sitting MLAs and two sitting Lok Sabha members, have left the party in the past few days.

On Saturday, Kendrapada Lok Sabha member Anubhav Mohanty, two former MLAs Priyadarshi Mishra of Bhubaneswar North and Akash Das Nayak of Korei quit the BJD.

Priyadarshi Mishra joined the BJP minutes after quitting the BJD while Anubhav and Akash are likely to join the saffron brigade soon.

Previously, Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab and former Brahmapur MP Siddhant Mohapatra had left the party and joined the BJP.

The sitting BJD MLAs who had earlier deserted the BJD and joined the BJP include Arvind Dhali, Pradeep Panigrahi, Prashant Jagdeb and Premananda Nayak.

Besides, former BJD legislators who joined the BJP are Dambaru Sisha, Debashis Nayak and Mukund Sodi.

Many of the leaders who left the BJD alleged that CM Naveen Patnaik was never accessible to them and only a few people run the show in the party. They also said their views and opinions on public grievances were never entertained.

Priyadarshi Mishra in his letter to BJD president and CM Naveen Patnaik stated, “I started my political career from my student days with the late Biju Patnaik, the legendary political figure of the State. I have given my sincere service to the people and the party for more than three decades. Due to continuous neglect in the party, I’m resigning from the primary membership of the party.”

“We have joined the BJP after being influenced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ideology. Modi ji’s vision to transform India into a powerful economy has encouraged people from different sections of the society. I extend my congratulations to all who have joined BJP along with me. I am hopeful that we all will undertake developmental activities under BJP and perform well in the upcoming election,” said Sisha.