In a jolt to the BJD ahead of the panchayat polls, its leader and former Malkangiri MlA Mukund Sodi joined the BJP here on Wednesday.
“Despite being elected as an MlA and appointed as the Malkangiri district president of BJD, I was not able to do developmental work for my constituency due to lack of cooperation from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik,” Sodi said after joining the saffron party.
“Neither the CM nor his Government is concerned about the tribals, backward communities, Dalits, women and children. Hence, I quit the party,” he said, adding, “I am impressed by the developmental schemes undertaken by the Narendra Modi Government at the Centre. I joined the BJP with a hope that my dreams will come true.”
Along with him, several others of Kalimela block of the district too joined the BJP in the presence of State president Basant Panda,
vice-president Samir Mohanty and former MP Parshuram Majhi.
Speaking on the occasion, Panda said, “The State Government has failed in curbing child deaths, women atrocity and corruption. Joining of Sodi will strengthen the BJP in Malkangiri.”
In another development, a BJP delegation led by State secretary lekhashree Samantsinghar submitted a memorandum to the State Election Commission urging not to deprive around 5 lakh Government officials engaged in poll works of voting