A day after resigning from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), former Balasore MP Rabindra Kumar Jena officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bhubaneswar. Jena, accompanied by other BJD leaders and over 100 associates from Balasore, Mayurbhanj, and Bhadrak districts, made the switch at a special event at the BJP state office. He emphasized his move to the BJP for the progress of Balasore, Bhadrak, and Mayurbhanj districts, stating that national and state development hinges on the BJP.
Jena highlighted his decision to leave the BJD due to personal reasons and lack of a clear succession plan within the party. He expressed concerns about the BJD’s ability to ensure good governance in Odisha without proper succession planning. Jena stressed the importance of structured leadership for sustained development and cited this as a driving factor behind his shift to the BJP.
The Odisha BJP president, Manmohan Samal, welcomed Jena and his associates to the party, noting their significant political influence in Balasore and nearby regions. Samal mentioned that grassroots leaders, district-level officials, and panchayat representatives have also joined the BJP, strengthening the party’s organizational presence in the area.
