Actor-turned-politician Akash Dasnayak joins BJP after resigning from BJD

Bhubaneswar: Actor-turned-politician Akash Dasnayak made a significant political move on Sunday by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha, just a day after resigning from the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

Dasnayak, who previously served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing the Korei constituency in Jajpur, formalized his affiliation with the BJP at the party’s Odisha unit headquarters. This decision comes amidst the buildup to the forthcoming simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state.

Present at the joining ceremony were key figures from the BJP Odisha unit, including the party’s president Manmohan Samal, along with other prominent leaders such as Sameer Mohanty, Pradeep Panigrahi, Sidhant Mohapatra, and Arindam Ray.

Having been elected to the Odisha Assembly on a BJD ticket in 2014, Dasnayak’s departure from the ruling party marks a significant shift. Previously, he had played a crucial role as the star campaigner for the BJD and held the position of chairperson for the state government’s Mo College initiative.

Dasnayak tendered his resignation to BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, citing ‘loss of self-respect’ within the party as the primary reason for his departure.

In a video message released on the day of his resignation, Dasnayak expressed his dedication to serving the people of Korei and indicated that his future actions would be guided by the support and feedback of his constituents.