ONI Bureau: It’s official now! Former Satyabadi MLA Rama Ranjan Baliarsingh will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on January 20. He is expected to get the party ticket in next assembly polls.
Rama Ranjan Baliarsingh, who was upset with the party following the re-induction of his bitter rival and sitting MLA Umakanta Samantray into the BJD, had resigned on January 11.
He had lashed out at CM Naveen Patnaik, calling him a ‘Puppet in the hands of Tamil Officer of 3rd Floor who was a “Veerappan” and ruined the Tamil Nadu economy’. He also alleged that Naveen Patnaik has lost the grip over the party.
While announcing his decision to join the BJP, Rama said he has been inspired by PM Modi’s leadership. “Satyabadi has been neglected for the last 4 years. We will again put it on the path of development,” he said.
Rama Ranjan Baliarsingh, who fought the 2014 assembly polls on BJD ticket, had lost to Independent candidate Umakanta Samantray, who rejoined the BJD last year. Rama had polled 46,787 votes, as compared to Umakanta’s 48,319 votes. Congress leader Prasad Harichandan had to be content with 25,905 votes only.
Rama Ranjan had won from Satyabadi in 2004 as an Independent candidate when BJD denied him the ticket. He finished third in 2009 behind Prasad Harichandan (Congress) and Umakanta Samantray (BJD).