Crack in BJD’s bastion in Jajpur, many panchayat level leaders join BJP

Jajpur (Odisha), Sep 10 (PTI) A day after a former Odisha MP and an ex-minister quit BJD and formed a separate platform, nearly 70 pancahyati raj institution-level leaders in Jajpur district on Wednesday joined the BJP in the presence of its state president Manmohan Samal.

The Dharmasala unit of the opposition BJD has received a major jolt as most of the party’s grassroot level members changed their political affiliations.

These Sarpanches and Panchayat Samiti members are among those who switched allegiance from the BJD to the saffron party in connection with the no-trust motion against the Dharmasala block BJD chairperson Pravat Kumar Balabantray.

Balabantaray resigned from the post of chairperson of the Dharmasala block panchayat samiti on August 20, two days before the scheduled voting on a no-confidence motion against him.

He is the brother of former Dharmasala MLA Pranab Balabantray.

“We were diehard supporters of Pranab Balabantray. But he could not keep any relation with us after he lost the last election. As a result, we decided to join the BJP for the interest of the people who elected us,” said Rabindranath Sethy, Sarpanch of Gadamadhupur gram panchayat of Dharmasala block.

Dharmasala block, once considered a BJD bastion, has set a new trend in the district by staging a coup against Pranab Balabantray alias Jitu, a key BJD face.

Exodus of such a large number of BJD workers to the saffron fold is an indication of diminishing power of the BJD in the Dharmasala constituency.

BJP president Manmohan assured the defectors that what Naveen Patnaik-led BJD could not give them in 24 years, the saffron party will provide them to the people.

He also said to the gathering that he had come to express thanks to the people of Jajpur for electing BJP candidates in four assembly and one Lok Sabha seats. PTI COR AAM NN