Odisha: Smruti Rekha Pahi And Her Supporters Join BJP

The Congress leader from Odisha, Smruti Rekha Pahi joined BJP on Wednesday along with her supporters. She had tendered her resignation to Congress in the first week of April.

Smruti Rekha Pahi resigned from Congress at the beginning of the month. Pahi wrote a resignation letter to Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president in which she stated her reason as non-cooperation of the party leaders.

Pahi was unsuccessful in the 2019 Assembly election from Dharmasala constituency in Jajpur. She said that she wanted to raise some important incidents in the district of Jajpur. The incidents Pahi spoke about were the death of the Panchayat Extension Officer (PEO), rampant mining scam, and man-made breach of an embankment on the Kelua river in Ramapur area which lies in the Dharmasala.

Smruti Rekha Pahi also claimed that the Congress leadership had ignored her which made her believe that they had some tacit understanding with the ruling party. Hence, Smruti Rekha Pahi said, "Under these circumstances, it will be not wise for me to remain with the Congress anymore as I will not be able to render my services to the people of Dharmasala."

On Wednesday, Smruti Rekha Pahi was seen joining BJP in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Bhubaneswar. She joined BJP along with her supporters.

Odisha: Smruti Rekha Pahi and her supporters joined BJP in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Bhubaneswar, earlier today. pic.twitter.com/sXhafvTMru

— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2021

The ex-Shiv Sena MLA Trupti Sawant joined BJP earlier in April. Trupti Sawant announced that she will contest as an independent candidate. Sawant was expelled from the party and wasn't given a ticket for the 2019 elections because of that. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray reportedly had asked her to withdraw her nomination to which she did not agree.

Sawant said in a statement, "I have the sympathy of the voters. Even today, people respect us like the time when Saheb (late Bala Sawant) was there… I will fight for Bala Saheb… there are attempts to destroy his legacy."

Image Credits : ANI Twitter