Raghunath, Jiban rejoin BJD

Bhubaneswar: In a significant political shift in Balasore, former minister Raghunath Mohanty and former MLA Jiban Pradip Dash on Wednesday returned to the BJD after delinking their membership with the ruling BJP. The BJD president, Naveen Patnaik, welcomed the two leaders at his residence after they formally joined the regional outfit at ‘Sankha Bhawan’, the party’s State headquarters. It is believed that with the joining of these two experienced leaders, the Biju Janata Dal will once again be strengthened in Balasore district. Mohanty, who has served as a Panchayati Raj and Law Minister under the Naveen Patnaik government, said that he would work as a disciplined worker of the party. He further said that he would work towards strengthening and organising the BJD in Balasore district.

Jiban said that he is extremely happy to return to the party after being outside BJD for five years. He said under the guidance of Naveen Patnaik, he would work as a disciplined member to strengthen and organise the Biju Janata Dal in Balasore district.

A five-time MLA from Basta, Mohanty originally left the BJD in 2019 to join the BJP after a suspension but resigned from the BJP in April 2024. Jiban, a former MLA from Balasore Sadar, had joined the BJP in 2021 after being suspended from the BJD for alleged anti-party activities. He recently resigned from the BJP citing a decline in its “ethical standards.” .

The joining of these two senior leaders in BJD is considered politically significant in Balasore district after the regional party’s former MP Rabindra Kumar Jena quit the party and joined the BJP. Jena’s wife Subasini allegedly voted in favour of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls recently.