Former BJP State president and former Minister Bimbadhar Kuanr joined the BJD on Monday after resigning from the BJP earlier in the day.BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik welcomed Kuanr to the fold of the ruling party, saying he would be a “tremendous asset” to the BJD.
Kuanr, a former MlA from Bargarh district, alleged that he was being sidelined in the BJP, for which he decided to join the BJD. On the other hand, former Minister Ramakrushna Patnaik and his wife and former lok Sabha member Kumudini Patnaik are likely to join the BJP soon. The couple resigned from the Congress recently.
BJP State president KV Singh Deo told the media on Monday that Ramakrushna Patnaik along with his daughter had met him on Sunday. The BJP is waiting for the Patnaiks' “response”, Singh Deo said, indicating that they are free to join the BJP on the basis of the talks he had with them.