Odisha: Former BJD leader Pravat Biswal switches to BJP

Bhubaneswar, July 12 (IANS) Ending speculation over his political future, former Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and former MLA Pravat Ranjan Biswal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a special programme in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

Biswal, a three-time MLA, arrived at the state BJP headquarters along with his supporters in a rally and joined the ruling party in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and state BJP president Manmohan Samal.

Biswal was first elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly from the Choudwar-Cuttack constituency in 2004 as an Independent candidate. He later joined the BJD and retained the seat in the 2009 and 2014 Assembly elections on the regional party’s ticket.

However, the three-time MLA was denied a party ticket in the 2019 elections after his name surfaced in the chit fund scam, and he was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the case in 2017.

In a setback to Biswal, the Orissa High Court recently refused to quash the CBI proceedings against him in the multi-crore Seashore chit fund scam and directed the Special CBI Court in Bhubaneswar to complete the trial within six months.

It is worth noting that his son, Souvic Ranjan Biswal, is the sitting MLA from the Choudwar-Cuttack Assembly constituency. Biswal’s ties with the regional party continued to remain strained as he was suspended from the BJD for his alleged involvement in the infamous “midnight operation” to dislodge Naveen Patnaik from power in 2012.

The suspension, however, was revoked a year later. BJD president Naveen Patnaik again expelled Biswal from the party in February this year over allegations of anti-party activities after he publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the selection of candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections.

Speaking during the joining programme, Chief Minister Majhi welcomed the leaders who joined the BJP during the special induction programme.

Welcoming the new entrants, Majhi said, “Today, another glorious chapter has been added to the BJP’s journey of victory in Odisha. A popular leader from the politically significant Kataka (earlier Cuttack) district, Pravat Ranjan Biswal, joined the BJP today. Along with him, his supporters also joined the party, inspired by the BJP’s policies, ideology and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”

The Chief Minister said Biswal’s induction into the BJP would strengthen the party organisation not only in the Choudwar Assembly constituency but across Cuttack district.

Expressing gratitude after joining the BJP, Biswal thanked Chief Minister Majhi and state BJP president Manmohan Samal for giving him the opportunity to join the party.

Biswal said he would work as a dedicated party worker and strive to strengthen the organisation.

–IANS

grm/uk