Bhubaneswar: Former Kendrapara MP Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda who joined BJP on March 4, was appointed the saffron party's national vice president and spokesperson today.
BJP president Amit Shah assigned Panda the new role with immediate effect, a press release issued by the party national general secretary Arun Singh stated.
Shah's decision to give the four-time parliamentarian an important organisational responsibility signals the importance the party has given Panda as it looks to further strengthen its organisation for its mission 120+ seats in Odisha.
Panda took to twitter and thanked party chief Shah after the announcement and also expressed his happiness to work under the leadership of PM Modi for a new India.
Meanwhile, congratulating Jay Panda on his appointment as the Vice President and Spokesperson of the BJP, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the former parliamentarian’s experience in social life and party organizational affairs will strengthen BJP and also help in building a new Odisha in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Purvodaya’.
It is worthwhile to mention that Panda had quit the Biju Janata Dal last year and also resigned from his Lok Sabha membership following his suspension from the regional party headed by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The BJP had won only one out of 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha in 2014, but is hopeful of putting up a much better show after it emerged as the main challenger to the BJD in the last panchayat polls.