Bhubaneswar, March 11 A day after quitting the opposition BJD, former MP Rabindra Kumar Jena joined the ruling BJP in Odisha on Wednesday, citing the lack of a succession plan in the regional party.
Jena, along with his supporters from Balasore, Bhadrak, and Mayurbhanj districts, joined the saffron party at its state headquarters here.
He was welcomed by BJP state president Manmohan Samal and other senior leaders, who offered him a saffron scarf.
The former Balasore Lok Sabha MP, in a letter to BJD president Naveen Patnaik, said he quit the regional party on "personal grounds and prevailing situation."
Jena, who was also the BJD’s Balasore district former president, had been with the party for around 12 years.
"I respect Patnaik. But he is not young enough for politics. Patnaik has no succession plan to take the party forward. Regional parties without succession plans often fail to meet people’s aspirations," he said.
Citing examples from other states, he said parties like the Akali Dal in Punjab lost influence due to the lack of succession planning, while leaders such as Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kanshi Ram, and K Karunanidhi succeeded by grooming successors.
"Now, the Samajwadi Party led by Akhilesh Yadav is the third-largest party in the Lok Sabha because Mulayam Singh Yadav had named his successor," he added.
He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP state president Manmohan Samal, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and other senior leaders, and expressed commitment to the development of north Odisha, including Balasore, Bhadrak, and Mayurbhanj.
Senior BJD leader and opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik, however, said Jena’s exit would have no impact.
"BJD is a strong force. Many people come and go. Jena was in BJD when the party was in power. He quit because the BJD is not in power," she said.
Goutam Buddha Das, a BJD MLA from Balasore, wished him luck but questioned the reasons for leaving.
"Best of luck to him. He had been with the party for a long time. Let him clarify what the personal grounds were for which he quit BJD," Das told reporters.
Party sources said Jena was unhappy after being denied a ticket for the 2024 general elections, with the BJD fielding Lekhashree Samantasinghar in his place, who eventually lost.
Meanwhile, Jena’s wife, Subasini Jena, won the Basta assembly seat on a BJD ticket.
Asked whether Jena’s exit would affect the Rajya Sabha elections, Mallik said, "Her husband is a BJP member, and he will vote for our candidate. She will go with the party."