Amar Patnaik, a senior leader of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Nuapada by-elections.
Patnaik, who was the IT Cell Chairman, former Rajya Sabha MP, and party spokesperson, formally joined the BJP at the state party office in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and state BJP president Manmohan Samal.
Patnaik's defection is seen as a significant blow to the BJD, which is already facing challenges in the Nuapada by-elections. Several other BJD leaders from Nuapada have also joined the BJP along with Patnaik.
The BJP welcomed Patnaik with a merger ceremony, where he was presented with a party hat by state in-charge Vijay Singh Tomar. Patnaik had joined the BJD in 2018 and was appointed as the IT Cell Chairman by Naveen Patnaik.