TNI Bureau: BJP’s State Vice President and 2019 Berhampur MP Candidate Bhrugu Baxipatra said good bye to the saffron party, ending 23-year-long association. He is all set to join BJD later today.

It is believed that Bhrugu will be BJD’s Berhampur Lok Sabha candidate against BJP candidate Pradeep Panigrahi.

Bhrugu, who had lost the 2019 polls by less than one lakh votes, was first relegated to the post of State Vice President from General Secretary. Later, he was denied a ticket from Berhampur Lok Sabha seat.

“I gave my best efforts to the party and worked hard to build the organisation. However, now I feel that party does not need my service. As I felt suffocated there, I had to take this decision with a heavy heart,” he told The News Insight (TNI).

As Bhrugu’s father Harischandra Baxipatra was in Janata Dal and a close aide of late Biju Patnaik, he always shared close bonding with the BJD leaders. His elder sister Lopamudra Baxipatra is a senior leader of BJD.

“I am determined to win the battle of Berhampur and serve the people of my constituency as well as South Odisha,” said Bhrugu.