Ex-Union Minister joins BJD in Odisha

Bhubaneswar April 4 (IANS) Former Union Minister and Congress leader Chandrasekhar Sahu joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha on Wednesday.

Along with Sahu former Ganjam district president Bhagaban Gantayat former All India Congress Committee member Bikram Panda and hundreds of supporters also joined the party in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during a Mishran Parva in Berhampur.

"I welcome them all to the Biju Janata Dal " said Patnaik.

Sahu was the Minister of State for Rural Development during the Congress-led UPA government from 2004 to 2009.

He said he took the decision for the benefit of people of Ganjam adding he will discharge whatever responsibility assigned to him by BJD President Patnaik.

Sahu Gantayat and Panda resigned from the Congress on March 29.

Eleven Congress corporators of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC) also quit the party and joined the BJD.

--IANS
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