Ex-Odisha minister Ganeswar Behera joins BJD 5 days after quitting Congress

Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha minister Ganeswar Behera, who had recently resigned from the Congress, joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday.

The BJD is likely to field Behera, a Dalit leader, from the Kendrapara assembly segment which is reserved for the Scheduled Caste candidates, party sources said.

Behera along with hundreds of his supporters switched sides in the presence of BJD’s Rajya Sabha MPs Manas Mangaraj and Sasmit Patra and former minister Pratap Jena here at the party's headquarters, Sankha Bhawan.

"Inspired by the developmental work and welfare measures taken by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, I have joined the BJD," Behera said.

The former state minister said he crossed over to the ruling party to participate in the development process and expedite welfare work in Kendrapara district.

Behera had resigned from the Congress on April 2.

In the 2019 polls, Shashi Bhusan Behera of the BJD had won the Kendrapara assembly seat by defeating Ganeswar by a margin of 6,320 votes.