Bhubaneswar: Former Rengali MLA Ramesh Patua along with hundreds of his supporters rejoined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) at the regional party’s headquarters in the Odisha capital on Friday.  

Senior leaders of the Opposition party including Debi Prasad Mishra, Pramila Mallik and Pratap Jena among others were present on the occasion.

Patua had resigned from BJD, the main Opposition party in Odisha, on April 10 this year.  

Welcoming Patua into the party, the senior leaders stated that the former legislator’s presence in BJD would further strengthen the organisational base of the party in Rengali and various parts of Western Odisha.

On the occasion, Patua stated that he would work with dedication to strengthen BJD in Rengali as well as across Western Odisha. “Efforts would be made to expand the party's organisational structure and further strengthen its connection with the people at the grassroots level,” he said.

Patua had been elected to the Odisha Assembly from Rengali constituency in Sambalpur district on a BJD ticket in 2014.

However, the Naveen Patnaik-led party denied him tickets in 2019 and 2024 Assembly elections in the state.