Odisha MLA Arabinda Dhali quits BJD

Chinmayee Dash Published On : Mar 2, 2024 at 10:42 AM Updated On : Mar 2, 2024 at 11:19 AM

Bhubaneswar: Ahead of elections 2024, MLA Arabinda Dhali resigned from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), he informed it today.

The BJD leader tendered his resignation letter to BJD Supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik via email yesterday, citing no specific reason for quitting the party.

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He informed the media that he will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tomorrow.

Arabinda Dhali represents Jayadev Constituency, one of the 7 assembly segments of Bhubaneswar Parliament Seat, in Khordha district.

The five-time MLA was first elected to Odisha Legislative Assembly from Malkangiri Constituency on a BJP ticket in a bye-election in 1992. He retained the seat for two consecutive terms on the BJP ticket from 1995-2000 and 2000-2004. He joined the BJD and was elected to the Assembly from Jayadev Constituency in 2009. He won the Assembly polls from Jayadev on BJD ticket in 2019.

During his tenure, he was given ministerial berth in Naveen’s cabinet in various departments like Co-Operation, Textiles & Handloom and Commerce and Transport between 2000 and 2004.