Insight Bureau: Another strong politician joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). BJP’s 2019 MLA candidate from Bari in Jajpur district, Biswaranjan Mallick, joined the ruling party in the presence of BJD Organisation Secretary & Jajpur MLA Pranab Prakash Das.
Dharmasala MLA Pranab Kumar Balabantaray and Jajpur MP Sharmistha Sethi were also present in the Misrana Parba held at BJD party office in Bhubaneswar.
Biswaranjan Mallick had resigned from the primary membership of BJP on October 20, citing his inability to carry on the responsibilities assigned to him and his associates.
Along with State Executive Member Biswa Mallick, Bari Block Chairperson Subasini Sharma, Vice Chairman Ramesh Chandra Bhanja and Zilla Parishad Member Ranjita Samal had also resigned from the party. They all joined the BJD today.
Biswa had joined BJP in 2017 after quitting the Congress. He had contested the 2019 elections from Bari on BJP ticket, but lost to BJD candidate Sunanda Das by a narrow margin of 4062 votes.
Biswaranjan Mallick had secured 68,497 votes (45.58% of the total vote share), BJD candidate Sunanda Das got 72,559 votes (48.28 % of the total vote share). His exit marked end of BJP’s prospects in Bari.