Odisha Congress MLA to join BJD ahead of Rahul's visit in state

In a major setback for the Congress in Odisha, the party's state working president Naba Kishore Das has indicated that he will quit the party and join Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on January 24.

Incidentally, Das is Congress is likely to happen just a day before party president Rahul Gandhi visits Odisha to address a public meeting.

"There is no specific reason for this decision to quit the party. This is not about party, this is about 'mati' (soil). My supporters want me to fight from a different party in 2019. So, I am accepting their wish and going to do what they want, because they have always given their support to me and just because of them I won the elections," Das told media here.

"Despite being a leader of an opposition party, the state government has never denied for any development work, which I have taken to them for approval," he added.

Das, the sitting MLA from Jharsuguda, is in the new for past few months over reports of being wooed by BJD. Known for his organisational skills, Das had defeated BJD candidate and former Assembly speaker Kishore Kumar Mohanty twice in the Jharsuguda constituency in 2009 and 2014 assembly elections.