**Bhubaneswar: ** As announced earlier, former Congress MLA of Bhawanipatna constituency, Dusmanta Naik, formally joined Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today (July 13) in presence of BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Naik along with his supporters from Kalahandi district’s Bhawanipatna assembly segment embraced BJD at the BJD Party Headquarters here after having quit Congress two days ago.
In his reactions, BJD supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “I welcome Shri Dusmanta Naik and many leaders and workers from Kalahandi district who joined the Biju Janata Dal today. Their joining will strengthen our party more.”
Notably, the former Congress MLA had tendered his resignation on July 11 citing personal grounds and had also announced to join BJD along with his supporters on July 13, i.e. today.
In his resignation letter addressed to the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president on July 11, Naik had resigned from the primary membership of the grand old Congress party.
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**Also Read:** [Ex-Congress MLA Dusmanta Naik To Join BJD On July 13](https://www.ommcomnews.com/public/ex-congress-mla-dusmanta-naik-to-join-bjd-on-july-13?ex-congress-mla-dusmanta-naik-to-join-bjd-on-july-13)