Former BJD Rajya Sabha MP Amar Patnaik joins BJP

In what could be seen as another setback for the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which faced a shocking defeat last year in the Assembly elections, former Rajya Sabha member Amar Patnaik — a prominent face of the regional party — joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday (November 3, 2025).

Mr. Patnaik, who had taken voluntary retirement from the post of Accountant General of Odisha before entering politics in 2018, served as a BJD Rajya Sabha MP from 2019 to 2024. He is the third Rajya Sabha member from the regional party, after Mamata Mohanta and Sujeet Kumar, to switch to the BJP since last year.

“I am inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dedication to nation-building. After retiring from government service, the regional party had given me an opportunity to serve the State. But now I wish to devote myself to nation-building, which is why I have joined a national party like the BJP,” said Mr. Patnaik, explaining his decision to join the saffron party.

“There are two national parties — the BJP and the Congress. I did not take a minute to decide which one to join. The BJP is the world’s largest political party, thriving on its ideology, vision for development, and leadership,” he added, describing the move as a turning point in his political career.

Mr. Patnaik, a prominent face of the regional party, had earlier headed the BJD’s IT cell, articulating and projecting the party’s position at the national level. He was also at the forefront of the BJD’s aggressive stance against both the BJP and the Congress.

Just a few months ago, Mr. Patnaik had led the BJD’s charge over alleged EVM discrepancies and other electoral irregularities during the 2024 elections. He had even stated publicly that the party would move the Orissa High Court on the issue.

Reacting to his joining the BJP, the BJD on Monday said the move would have no impact and described it as yet another example of opportunistic politics.

“Party president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had given Mr. Amar Pattnaik his political identity by nominating him to the Rajya Sabha and entrusting him with several key responsibilities within the party,” BJD leaders said in a statement.

They added that Mr. Patnaik had played a key role in preparing and presenting evidence of the BJP’s alleged large-scale vote theft before the Election Commission, and he should now clarify his stand on that issue.

BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty further said that the BJP’s decision to induct Mr. Patnaik on the very day Naveen Patnaik was campaigning in Nuapada for the by-election exposed the saffron party’s political motives. However, the rousing reception accorded to Naveen Patnaik by the people of Nuapada had punctured the BJP’s strategy, he added.