Sitting MP from Nabarangpur in Odisha, Balabhadra Majhi on Saturday joined BJP in presence of Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram.
BJP Odisha in-charge Arun Singh and party’s national vice president Baijayant Panda were also present on the occasion at the party headquarters here.
Mr Majhi had resigned from the Biju Janata Dal on Thursday and is likely to contest again from the same constituency on BJP ticket.
Speaking on the occasion Oram and Pradhan exuded confidence that Majhi’s entry into BJP will give the saffron party a major boost in coming elections to Lok Sabha and also the state Assembly.
According to sources, BJD chief Naveen Patnaik may field a former state minister Ramesh Majhi from Nabarangpur and this may have prompted Balabhadra Majhi to jump the ship.
Reports from Odisha said that Congress may field Pradeep Kumar Majhi from the constituency.
