TNI Bureau: Congress leader Arindam Sarkhel alias Bapi Sarkhel’s wife Monideepa Sarkhel joins BJD along with hundreds of supporters. She is the Vice Chairperson of Paradip-Ersama Development Authority.

Along with Monideepa, Paradip Municipality Vice Chairperson Chhabilata Rout, 9 Councillors and several Congress and BJP workers joined BJD in the presence of Rajya Sabha MP Manas Mangaraj, Nayagarh MLA and Jagatsinghpur District Observer Arun Sahoo and Paradip MLA Sambit Routray.

Bapi Sarkhel, a powerful trade union leader, was arrested in 2016 in connection with the murder of the Seaways Shipping and Logistics Pvt Ltd (SSL) GM Mahendra Swain. He later contested from Paradip in 2019 and lost to BJD candidate Sambit Routray.