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BHUBANESWAR: In politics, there are no permanent enemies. This was evident after BJP’s Odisha vice-president Lekhasri Samantsinghar, who till the other day was a vocal critic of chief minister Naveen Patnaik, joined the BJD on Sunday and could be the party’s nominee for Balasore Lok Sabha seat.Balasore is the only seat where the BJD has not fielded any candidate yet.If picked, she would be BJD’s seventh woman candidate for the 21 Lok Sabha seats that will simultaneously go to polls with state assembly elections. The BJD had pledged to give tickets in one-third of Lok Sabha seats to women.
Lekhasri, who was a prominent woman face of the BJP and led the party’s delegations against the BJD to different forums, including the election commission, attributed the reason for quitting the BJP to the saffron party’s eroding trust in her.
“I gave my sweat and blood to the BJP for the last 10 years. Despite my hard work and sincerity, I could not earn the trust of the leadership,” her resignation letter addressed to BJP state president Manmohan Samal read.
After joining the BJD in the presence of Rajya Sabha members Manas Mangaraj and Sasmit Patra among others, Lekhasri said any change is hard and not easy.
“Change is the only constant. I am thankful to BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik and 5T chairman V K Pandian for inducting me in the party. I will discharge any duty assigned to me with discipline and commitment,” said Lekhasri, known for criticizing each move of Naveen and Pandian in television debates and social media. Asked whether she left the BJP after being denied a ticket, Lekhashree replied in the negative.
BJP claimed her exit would have no impact on the party. “There are multiple aspirants for tickets in all seats. BJP has given tickets to deserving candidates only. Her exit will not affect us. BJP will form the govt in Odisha,” BJP spokesperson Golak Mohapatra said.
Lekhasri’s switch to the BJD comes amid ongoing party-hopping from leaders in the run-up to the elections. Both the BJD and BJP have already fielded turncoats in several Lok Sabha and assembly seats.
BJD gave tickets to Anshuman Mohanty (Kendrapada Lok Sabha seat), Surendra Singh Bhoi (Balangir LS), Parineeta Mishra (Bargarh LS), Bhrugu Baxipatra (Berhampur LS), Pradeep Majhi (Nabarangpur LS) and Dhanurjaya Sidu (Keonjhar LS).
Bhartruhari Mahtab and Pradeep Panigrahy, who were earlier with the BJD, have been nominated as BJP candidates for Cuttack and Berhampur Lok Sabha seats.
Lekhasri, who was a prominent woman face of the BJP and led the party’s delegations against the BJD to different forums, including the election commission, attributed the reason for quitting the BJP to the saffron party’s eroding trust in her.
“I gave my sweat and blood to the BJP for the last 10 years. Despite my hard work and sincerity, I could not earn the trust of the leadership,” her resignation letter addressed to BJP state president Manmohan Samal read.
After joining the BJD in the presence of Rajya Sabha members Manas Mangaraj and Sasmit Patra among others, Lekhasri said any change is hard and not easy.
“Change is the only constant. I am thankful to BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik and 5T chairman V K Pandian for inducting me in the party. I will discharge any duty assigned to me with discipline and commitment,” said Lekhasri, known for criticizing each move of Naveen and Pandian in television debates and social media. Asked whether she left the BJP after being denied a ticket, Lekhashree replied in the negative.
BJP claimed her exit would have no impact on the party. “There are multiple aspirants for tickets in all seats. BJP has given tickets to deserving candidates only. Her exit will not affect us. BJP will form the govt in Odisha,” BJP spokesperson Golak Mohapatra said.
Lekhasri’s switch to the BJD comes amid ongoing party-hopping from leaders in the run-up to the elections. Both the BJD and BJP have already fielded turncoats in several Lok Sabha and assembly seats.
BJD gave tickets to Anshuman Mohanty (Kendrapada Lok Sabha seat), Surendra Singh Bhoi (Balangir LS), Parineeta Mishra (Bargarh LS), Bhrugu Baxipatra (Berhampur LS), Pradeep Majhi (Nabarangpur LS) and Dhanurjaya Sidu (Keonjhar LS).
Bhartruhari Mahtab and Pradeep Panigrahy, who were earlier with the BJD, have been nominated as BJP candidates for Cuttack and Berhampur Lok Sabha seats.
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