Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), May 4: Four-time MLA Debasis Nayak, who had previously switched sides from BJD to BJP almost two months ago, has now aligned with Congress in Odisha. Nayak was formally inducted into the party fold in the presence of Odisha Congress in-charge Ajoy Kumar and former OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik.
During the joining ceremony, Ajoy Kumar expressed concerns about the influence of external forces within BJD, accusing them of sidelining the party’s founding members. He claimed that the current election might mark the last one where BJD contests independently, hinting at a potential merger with BJP.
Nayak’s decision to contest from Bari was announced via social media on Friday, following BJP’s nomination of Umesh Chandra Jena for the seat. Despite his hopes for a ticket after joining BJP in February, Nayak found himself sidelined by the party’s decision to field another candidate.
Nayak, who had previously served as Union Steel and Mines Minister during the Atal Behari Vajpayee-led government, had faced controversies during his tenure. He was dropped from the ministry in 2008 and later suspended from BJD for questioning the party’s leadership style. In 2019, he was denied a party ticket.
