Khordha MLA Jyotirindra Nath Mitra Returns To BJP After Quitting BJD

Khurda: In a significant political development, senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and Khordha MLA Jyotirindra Nath Mitra has resigned from the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the third round of simultaneous elections in Odisha.

Mitra, along with his supporters, participated in a roadshow led by Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi upon his return to the BJP fold. The roadshow, which commenced from Gosala ground in Khurda town, witnessed enthusiastic support for BJP’s MLA candidate Prasant Jagdev.

Expressing his reasons for joining the BJP, Mitra highlighted the dissatisfaction among Odisha’s populace with the performance of the BJD government and emphasized the need for change. “The BJP, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has garnered significant popularity. I aim to contribute to the party’s efforts in bringing development to our state,” Mitra stated.

Notably, Mitra had previously left the BJD in 2014 due to being denied a party ticket, subsequently contesting unsuccessfully for the Assembly on a BJP ticket. However, he returned to the BJD in 2019 and secured victory as the MLA for Khurda.

During the 2019 Assembly elections, Mitra secured 84,553 votes, defeating BJP candidate Kalucharan Khandeitaray, who garnered 74,510 votes.