Jay Panda, a long-time BJD leader, had fallen apart with party chief Naveen Patnaik, the chief minister of Odisha, last year. He today met BJP chief Amit Shah ahead of formally joining the party.
Panda had been planning the move since 2014 the moment the BJP came to power at the Centre. "He had, for this reason, started singing praises of the BJP leadership in his articles and columns, indulging in anti-party activities for which he was suspended from the BJD on 26 January 2018. Whatever the BJD had been saying about Baijayanta Panda and his relationship with BJP have been proven true.
Assembly Elections in Odisha are expected to be held along with the Lok Sabha elections, and Jay Panda’s inclusion is likely to help the BJP’s prospects in the state, especially in coastal regions, the party believes.
Jay Panda runs an influential media empire in Odisha. He was suspended by the ruling BJD in Odisha amid his perceived proximity with the BJP. The BJD issued his suspension letter alleging "anti-party" activities by the MP. Later, it also accused him of being involved in money laundering. Panda had denied the charge.
Jay Panda later quit the BJD and also resigned as Lok Sabha MP.
About Jai Panda -
Elected from the Kendrapara constituency with a BJD ticket, Panda was suspended from the Biju Janata Dal party for alleged anti-party activities on 24 January 2018 and resigned from BJD on 28 May 2018 . He said he was "shocked" and denied the charges against him as "false and baseless." He also alleged there was a conspiracy against him. Previously, he had served in the indirectly elected Rajya Sabha, from 2000 to 2009. He joined BJP on 4th March,2019 at New Delhi.