Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh joins BJP

Bhubaneswar: Kandhamal MP Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh, who had quit the Biju Janata Dal after being denied a ticket, on Saturday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

She joined the BJP in presence of Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP’s national vice-president Baijayant Panda and State BJP president Basant Panda at senior BJP leader KV Singhdeo’s residence in Bhubaneswar.  

 “Denial of ticket from BJD for the upcoming elections was insult to my late husband Hemendra Chandra Singh. I joined the BJP and will work for party,” said Pratyusha.

Sources said that the BJP, which is yet to name its candidate for the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat, was most likely to field Pratysha as its official candidate.

Pratyusha had resigned from the primary membership of the BJD on March 20 after the party leadership fielded Achyut Samant as the candidate for Kandhamal.