Mamata Mahanta Joins BJP, More BJD Members to Follow Says Ashok Mohanty

BJP MLA Ashok Mohanty announced that more BJD members are expected to join BJP following Mamata Mahanta’s switch. Speaking about the situation, Mohanty said, “Mamata Mahanta joined BJP, and in the coming days, other BJD members will also join BJP. We will welcome them all… Many leaders of BJD are in touch with us…”

BJD MLA Goutam Buddha Das commented on Mahanta’s departure, stating, “Ours is a big party, one person leaving it will not affect the strength of the party. People come and go all the time. Mamata Mahanta left the party because she was in touch with the BJP. BJP poached her… Even after coming to power in the state, BJP has no faith in its organisation and is constantly trying to poach members of other parties.”

Mamata Mahanta joined the BJP on August 1, a day after resigning from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). After joining the BJP, Mahanta said, “My only aim is the service and welfare of the public. It can be fulfilled only by joining the BJP.”

In the 18th Lok Sabha elections, the BJD faced a significant setback, failing to secure any of the 21 seats, while the BJP won 20 seats and Congress managed to win one seat. In the state assembly elections, the BJD won 51 out of 147 seats, while the BJP secured a majority by winning 78 seats. The Biju Janata Dal, which has ruled Odisha since 1997, lost to the BJP, breaking the 24-year-old reign of Naveen Patnaik as the Chief Minister.