Former Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MPs Bhartruhari Mahtab and Sidhant Mohapatra officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday. Mahtab, who had resigned from the BJD last Friday (March 21), cited the party’s deviation from its original vision as the reason for his departure, expressing his frustration by stating, “There is a limit to one’s patience.” On the same day, the BJP announced its decision not to form any alliance with the BJD for the forthcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections.
Siddhant Mohapatra, a well-known Odia film hero, had represented the Berhampur constituency as a BJD MP.
Recent times have seen a significant exodus of BJD leaders to the BJP, with notable departures including a close relative of BJD organizing secretary PP Das and popular Odia actor Arindam Roy. Additionally, Jayadev MLA Arabinda Dhali, former MLA from Malkangiri Mukunda Sodi, former leader from Digapahandi in Ganjam district Bipin Chandra Pradhan, along with other political figures and their supporters from Bhadrak, Nayagarh, and various other districts, all switched allegiance to the BJP on March 3.
In another move, BJD’s senior tribal leader and former minister Balabhadra Majhi voiced his grievances of neglect and sidelining over the past five years by joining the Congress party.