Bhubaneswar: Days after quitting BJP, Irani Ray, who unsuccessfully contested the Nayagarh assembly elections in 2019, joined the BJD along with her husband Lala Manoj Ray on Friday.
They were inducted into the Conch party in the presence of senior party, leaders including Arun Sahoo, Manas Mangaraj, and Sasmit Patra, at Shankha Bhawan here.
“I worked with 100% dedication for the BJP. However, the party did not acknowledge my contribution. That’s the reason, I along with my supporters quit the BJP. I expect honour from the BJD towards women and party workers,” she said after joining the regional party.
Irani got 66,737 votes (43% vote) from Nayagarh Assembly seat when she contested on BJP ticket in 2019. Before joining the BJP, Manoj was in the Congress and fought the Nayagarh assembly polls in 2014. On both occasions, Arun Sahoo had emerged victorious. While in 2014, Arun defeated Manoj by a margin of about 21,000 votes, he beat Irani by over 14,000 votes five years later.
Her joining BJD camp may help once-rival Arun Sahoo in 2024 Assembly polls. It may also have an impact on Puri Lok Sabha seat since Nayagarh is one of the 7 Assembly segments under this constituency. It is, however, not clear whether BJD will be giving her a ticket in the upcoming elections.
Irani had quit the BJP on March 16, alleging neglect by the party. Sources, however, said that she reportedly was at loggerheads with Pratyusha Rajeshwari Kumari, who is vying for the BJP ticket for Nayagarh assembly segment. Pratyusha, a former MP from Kandhamal, joined BJD in 2014 following the death of her husband and former MP Hemendra Chandra Singh. In 2019, she left the regional party and joined the BJP. However, she did not get any ticket. BJP sources said she is a front-runner to get the BJP ticket for Nayagarh this time. This apparently had upset Irani, who too was in the race, party sources said.