Bhubaneswar: Even as the Election Commission is yet to announce dates for Bijepur bypoll, a virtual war has already broken out between the BJD and the BJP to win the seat with the latter's Bargarh district unit president Narayan Sahu resigning from the party on Tuesday.
After resigning from the party, Sahu arrived at Naveen Niwas here on Tuesday and announced joining the BJD on December 3.
"The BJP is a party that lacks ideology and is ruled by 'jealousy'. My selfless dedication towards the party from 1997 to 2017 meant nothing and has no value for the party. So, I decided to join the BJD," said Sahu adding that the he was part of the Janata Party and he returned to his family.
Clarifying that his resignation from the BJP has nothing to do with the inclusion of former BJD MLA from Bijepur Constituency Ashok Panigrahi in the party, Sahu said he belongs to a poor family, has always worked for the development of the society and never run after tickets and posts.
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"Even Biju Babu had offered me ticket when I was with the Janata Party. My political ideology is not guided by greed. I believe in selfless work and service to people," Sahu further stated.
On Sahu joining the BJD, BJP President Basant Panda said, "BJP doesn’t depend on any individual; it's above individuals but always respects party workers. “It will have no impact on the party’s prospects in the ensuing bypoll in Bijepur,’’ Panda added.
The Bijepur Assembly bypoll, which was necessitated following the death of three-time Congress MLA Subal Sahu in August this year, is seen as a precursor to the 2019 general elections and its outcome would affect prospects of both the parties in the elections.
While the BJD has already announced late Subal Sahu’s wife Rita as its candidate for the bypoll, the BJP and the Congress are yet to declare their candidates.
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