BJP plans grand welcome for Bijoy

Coastal Orissa set to see new political equations
Bhubaneswar(Orissa), Mar 23: The Bharatiya Janata Party, which was struggling hard to get over the shock of being dumped by its 11-year-old ally Biju Janata Dal, received a boost on Monday following joining of two political heavy weights of Orissa in the party.Former ministers - Bijoy Mahapatra and Dilip Roy - considered arch rivals of Orissa chief minister and the BJD president Naveen Patnaik - were inducted into the BJP in presence of party president Rajnath Singh in New Delhi this morning.The two leaders will be given a grand welcome to the party when they return here in a couple of days.“Bijoy Mohapatra is a mass leader and Dilip Ray is strong campaigner. We are certainly going to extend a grand welcome for them when they arrive here from New Delhi on Tuesday,” the BJP Legislature Party leader Biswa Bhusan Harichandan told this paper.Mr Mahapatra is tipped to give a fillip to the BJP’s campaign against the BJD supreme Mr Patnaik. He is known for his organisational ability and his uncompromising battle against the chief minister for the last one decade. In fact, he single handedly waged a war against Mr Patnaik exposing various omissions and commissions in the latter’s regime.The BJP, which vowed to “teach” Mr Patnaik a lesson for breaking the alliance with the party, is reportedly planning to use Mr Mahapatra for building up a sustained campaign against him during electioneering. Mr Mahapatra is tipped to head the campaign committee of the party in Orissa to expose Mr Patnaik’s transparent image.Similarly, Mr Ray has considerable influence in tribal-dominated Sundergarh district. His entry into BJP will further cement BJP’s position in western Orissa. He can be used as a resourceful man for raising funds for the party.Mr Mahapatra has also an impressive following in coastal Orissa, where BJP is considered weak.“The BJP will now be able to firm its grip over coastal Orissa and be able to make in roads in the region, known as forte of the BJD,” a senior BJP functionary said here on Monday.