Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: A day after resigning from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), former Rajya Sabha MP and senior politician Debashish Samantaray on Tuesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi, saying he was deeply influenced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his vision for a developed India.

Samantaray joined the BJP at the party headquarters in the presence of BJP national general secretary Arun Singh, Odisha BJP in-charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar and Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal. Later, he was felicitated by BJP National President Nitin Nabin in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi and other senior leaders.

Speaking after joining the saffron party, Samantaray thanked Prime Minister Modi and said he wanted to contribute towards the vision of Viksit Bharat.

“Today, PM Modi has blessed me and included me in his team so that I can contribute to his vision for India. He has dreamt of building a developed India, and he is continuously working towards that goal. I have been deeply influenced by his programmes and his personality, and that is why I am joining the Bharatiya Janata Party today,” Samantaray said.

He further expressed hope that the BJP leadership and workers would continue to support him and said he intended to work extensively for the party in Odisha.

Samantaray’s switch to the BJP came barely a day after he resigned from the primary membership of the BJD, alleging that he had been “systematically belittled” within the organisation.

In his resignation letter addressed to BJD president Naveen Patnaik, Samantaray claimed that despite his long-standing commitment to the party, he felt ignored and undervalued in recent times.

After quitting the BJD, Samantaray openly targeted former IAS officer V. K. Pandian, blaming him for his exit from the regional party. He alleged that he was prevented from meeting Naveen Patnaik over the past year despite sharing a close relationship with the BJD supremo.

Samantaray had also criticised the party leadership over internal functioning and alleged that efforts were being made to sideline senior leaders instead of strengthening the organisation.

He further objected to Naveen Patnaik handing over a house built by former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik to Pandian in the name of a trust, calling it an insult to Biju Patnaik’s legacy.

Following his resignation from the BJD, Samantaray also met Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan and tendered his resignation as a Rajya Sabha member.

A seasoned politician, Samantaray was elected to the Rajya Sabha in February 2024 as a BJD nominee. He had earlier represented the Barabati-Cuttack Assembly constituency twice, winning elections in 2009 and 2014.

His resignation from the BJD is being seen as another setback for the regional party, which has been facing growing internal dissent after its defeat in the Odisha Assembly elections.