"We are always prepared to face elections": BJD's Amar Patnaik

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP and spokesperson Amar Patnaik on Wednesday said that his party is always prepared to face elections and people of Odisha will repose their faith in Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the sixth time.

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP and spokesperson Amar Patnaik on Wednesday said that his party is always prepared to face elections and people of Odisha will repose their faith in Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the sixth time. "Elections to both the Parliament and the State Assembly will be held in four phases in Odisha. As usual, in any process, the party president is reviewing the position in each of the constituencies. BJD is always prepared to face elections. Because of the work that the CM has done for the people of the state. He has been there every day for all this, for 24 years. So, I think the preparations for the elections are only a part of the process that is required to be followed by any party," he said.

"People of Odisha, as they have already reposed faith in our CM for the last 5 terms, they would be doing for the sixth term as well," he emphasized. Meanwhile, sitting MLA from Khariar constituency in Nuapada district, Adhiraj Mohan Panigrahi, who quit the Congress, a day before, joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday.

Adhiraj, after joining Naveen Patnaik's party, said that he had jumped the ship after 'getting inspired' by the ideals of the Chief Minister. "Taking inspiration from the ideals of the Chief Minister, I am joining the BJD today. I have never done the politics of tickets. I will work with whatever confidence the Chief Minister places in me," he said.

Elections to the Odisha assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats will be held in the final four of the seven general election phases. Elections in Odisha span across four phases -- May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. Nomination filing dates vary per phase, with the last phase having nominations until May 14 and withdrawals by May 17.

In the 2019 elections, BJD secured a comfortable victory with 112 out of 147 seats, while the BJP and Congress managed to secure 23 and nine seats, respectively. (ANI)

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