BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra’s son Aravind forays into politics, joins BJD

In a major political development ahead of the General Elections, Aravind Mohapatra, son of BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra, entered politics by joining the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

Aravind joined BJD by meeting party supremo Naveen Patnaik at Naveen Niwas in Bhubaneswar.

After joining BJD, Mohapatra addressed the media, saying, “I have been serving the people of Patkura since 2019. I felt I needed a platform from where I could contribute to the area’s development. I had discussed with the voters of Patkura, and took the blessings of my father before taking this decision.”

“I would like to thank Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for giving me the opportunity to serve the people with the BJD. I am hopeful of taking the development of Patkura a notch higher," he said.

It is pertinent to mention here that Patkura in Kendrapara is the political home ground of his father Bijoy Mohapatra. He is considered a stalwart in Odisha politics. He is one of the founding members of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the blue-eyed boy of late CM Biju Patnaik. He had become so powerful during Biju Patnaik’s time that he was termed as the super Chief Minister.

However, after Biju Patnaik, his goodwill in the BJD fell. In 2000, Bijoy Mohapatra was prevented from contesting elections. He was denied ticket for Patkura from where BJD’s Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak contested.

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In 2004, Bijoy as Odisha Gana Parishad candidate lost to Atanu in Patkura. In 2009, he lost as a BJP candidate to BJD’s Prakash Agarwalla in Patkura. In 2014, Bijoy lost again to Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak from Mahakalapada. And in 2019, he was again defeated by BJD’s Sabitri Agarwalla.