Jharsuguda Bypoll: District BJP Chief Mangal Sahu Quits Party, Joins BJD

Bhubaneswar: The district unit president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mangal Sahu, on Wednesday quit the party and joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), dealing a significant blow to the party ahead of the Jharsuguda byelection.

BJD Rajya Sabha MP Manas Mangaraj and other regional leaders welcomed Sahu to the party at Sankha Bhawan.

Later, Sahu met CM & party supremo Naveen Patnaik.

Sahu held various positions in the BJP’s Odisha wing for around 20 years.

“I put a lot of effort into boosting the BJP’s presence in the Jharsuguda district. When certain BJP leaders abandoned the party’s vision and ideals in favour of playing cheap politics, I was hurt. I joined the BJD for this reason,” Sahu remarked.

He continued by saying that the BJD, led by CM Naveen Patnaik, is dedicated to the advancement of the people of Odisha.

“I am prepared to shoulder any responsibility that the BJD leadership assigns to me. I’ll work to advance the interests of the Jharsuguda people,” Sahu declared.

Sahu’s resignation, according to BJP Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal, will not affect the chances of the saffron party winning the impending by-election.

“The BJP is not reliant on any particular person. He continued, “The party has its own ideology and people-centred agenda”.

Notably, a by-election for the Jharsuguda Assembly seat will take place on May 10. The bypoll was necessitated by the January 29 assassination of incumbent MLA Naba Das.