Jajpur: In a political development in Jajpur block, more than 100 BJP workers from Similia gram panchayat joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), expressing confidence in the leadership of senior BJD leader and former Jajpur MLA Pranab Prakash Das, popularly known as Bobby Das. The joining programme was organised as part of the party’s efforts to strengthen its grassroots organisation and expand its membership base. The new entrants reportedly left the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to associate themselves with the BJD, citing their faith in Das’s leadership and the party’s political vision. Local BJD supporters described the induction as an encouraging development for the party’s organisational presence in Similia panchayat and the wider Jajpur block. The new members are expected to participate in grassroots activities and help strengthen coordination among party workers at the village level. The development comes amid continuing efforts by political parties in Odisha to consolidate their local organisations and expand their support base. Led by Naveen Patnaik, the BJD has been working to maintain its grassroots network and engage with party workers across panchayats. The joining of more than 100 BJP workers marks a new development in local political activity in Jajpur, although its broader organisational impact will depend on the party’s subsequent engagement with the new members and the local community.
