Former Union Minister and Congress leader Chandrasekhar Sahu joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha on Wednesday.
Along with Sahu, former Ganjam district president Bhagaban Gantayat, former All India Congress Committee member Bikram Panda and hundreds of supporters also joined the party in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during a 'Mishran Parva' in Berhampur.
"I welcome them all to the Biju Janata Dal," said Patnaik.
Sahu was the Minister of State for Rural Development during the Congress-led UPA government from 2004 to 2009.
He said he took the decision for the benefit of people of Ganjam, adding he will discharge whatever responsibility assigned to him by BJD President Patnaik.
Sahu, Gantayat and Panda resigned from the Congress on March 29.
Eleven Congress corporators of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC) also quit the party and joined the BJD.
--IANS
cd/him/mr
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app