Ex-MP B P Tarai joins BJP, may contest from Jagatsinghpur

A day after rejecting candidature of the Congress, former MP Bibhu Prasad Tarai Thursday joined the BJP and likely to contest as its candidate from Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat.

Tarai joined the saffron party in the presence of BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda, senior leader Biswabhushan Harichandan and other leaders.

"I do not see any future in the Congress as the party has diverted from its ideology. Therefore, I joined the BJP which has pledged to fight against the BJD," Tarai said.

Tarai had on Wednesday resigned from the primary membership of the Congress protesting the manner of ticket distribution in the party. He had alleged that the Congress fielded leaders with criminal background and entered into a secret understanding with the BJD.

Tarai said while he wanted to contest from Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat, the party fielded him from Tirtol Assembly segment.

Tarai had won the Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat on a CPI ticket backed by BJD in 2009. He was later expelled over alleged anti-party activities following which he had joined the Congress ahead of the 2014 general elections.

Tarai lost the elections as a Congress candidate in 2014 from Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat.

BJP sources said Tarai might get the party ticket to contest from Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat.

Though the BJP has so far announced its candidates for 20 Lok Sabha seats, the party is yet to field its nominee from Jagatsinghpur.

Earlier, the BJP nominated Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi from his constituency a day after he quit the BJD.

The saffron party had also fielded Bhadrak MP Arjun Sethi's son in Bhadrak Lok Sabha seat a day after the eight-time MP resigned from the BJD.

The BJP has also fielded Kharavel Swain from Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat after he resigned from the Utkal Bharat, a party he himself had floated in 2010 after quitting the saffron party.