Ex-MLA of Khallikote Purna Sethy Joins BJP Following His Resignation from BJD

Bhubaneswar: After resigning from the ruling BJD, former MLA of Khallikote in Ganjam district of Odisha, Purna Chandra Sethy, joined the BJP on Monday.

Sethy alleged that he was sidelined in the BJD for which he preferred to quit the party.

After joining the saffron party, Sethy said that he preferred to join the BJP as it is a party with a democratic setup. He alleged that while in the BJD, he had to wait for days to have a glimpse of the party head Naveen Patnaik.

“Former MLA Purna Chandra Sethy has joined our party with his councillors. I welcome him to our party and wish him the best ahead,” said state BJP President Manmohan Samal.

Sethy won from the Khallikote Assembly constituency on BJD ticket in 2009 and 2014. He was denied a BJD ticket in 2019. Losing hopes of getting a BJD ticket again, Sethy preferred to resign from the party.

BJD’s six-time MP Bhartruhari Mahtab has resigned from the party. Added to it, BJD’s two sitting MLAs Arabinda Dhali and Premananda Naik have also resigned from the party to join the BJP.