Senior leader Ramkrushna Patnaik and his wife Kumudini Patnaik, who had recently quit the Congress, on Wednesday joined the BJP at the party State headquarters here along with their supporters. Ramkrushna Patnaik, whose daughter Anita Subhadarshini also joined the saffron party, is likely to be BJP candidate in an Assembly
constituency in his native Ganjam district.
Besides, ‘Raja’ of the old princely state of Kalahandi Udit Pratap Deo and his ‘queen’ Padma Manjari Devi also joined the BJP in the day. The royal couple joined the saffron party at the BJP State headquarters here. They were welcomed into the party by several senior party leaders.
It may be mentioned that the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) had on March 12 announced Arka Keshari Deo, another scion of the Kalahandi royal family, as its candidate for the Kalahandi lok Sabha seat. With Udit Pratap Deo joining the BJP, the party’s electoral stocks are likely to grow in Kalahandi district.