Sethi joins BJD

Bhubaneswar: A day after being suspended from CPI on disciplinacy grounds, MLA from Chhatrapur, Adikanda Sethi on Sunday joined the ruling BJD in Odisha.

"Adikanda Sethi has joined Biju Janata Dal and his entry will be of great help to our regional party," Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik told reporters soon after Sethi joined his party.

Sethi said he took the step as he felt neglected in CPI which "ignored his proposals".

Sethi was on Friday suspended from CPI on disciplinary grounds and for allegedly trying to get the BJD ticket for the ensuing Assembly elections.

"Sethi has been suspended for breach of discipline, lack of confidence in the party and objectionable relation with the ruling party," CPI state unit secretary Dibakar Nayak had said here.

CPI has selected Krushna Chandra Nayak in place of Sethi to contest the Chattrapur assembly seat in the elections this time. Sethi was denied ticket because of unsatisfactory performance at the ground level, Nayak had said.