Sitting MLA Arabinda Dhali Resigns from BJD, To Join BJP

Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha, sitting MLA Arabinda Dhali resigned from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday.

Former state minister Dhali sent his resignation letter to BJD Supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik via email. But he did not cite any specific reason for his quitting the party.

He informed the media that he will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after a day.

Arabinda Dhali represents the Jayadev assembly seat, one of the 7 assembly segments of the Bhubaneswar Parliamentary constituency.

Recently, Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi and former Odisha minister Debasis Nayak have also joined the BJP. Sitting Chilika MLA Prashant Jagdev also joined the saffron party ahead of the polls.