Odisha’s prominent media tycoon Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, who floated the Aama Odisha Party after his expulsion from Congress in 2013, joined the Biju Janata Dal on Wednesday.
Mr. Patnaik was welcomed into the BJD fold by Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik at the latter’s residence Naveen Nivas. Several Ministers and senior BJD leaders were present.
Mr. Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, who heads Eastern Media Limited that runs prominent Odia daily Sambad , Odia news channel Kanak TV , FM radio station Radio Choklate and Eastern Opera with six Jatra troupes, is likely to be fielded as a BJD candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls scheduled to be held on March 23.
Rajya Sabha elections
Rajya Sabha elections are scheduled to be held for three seats in Odisha as the tenure of three members in the upper house – A. U. Singh Deo and Dilip Tirkey of BJD and BJD-supported Independent A.V. Swami – is coming to an end on April 3.
The BJD is scheduled to announce the names of its three Rajya Sabha candidates this evening.
Mr. Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, son-in-law of former Chief Minister J. B. Patnaik, had unsuccessfully fought against former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik as a BJP nominee in Bhubaneswar Assembly seat in 1995.
He had later quit the BJP and was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency in 1996 on a Congress ticket.
Mr. Soumya Ranjan Patnaik’s joining the BJD comes close on the heels of suspension of Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda from the primary membership of the BJD. Mr. Panda’s wife, Jagi Mangat Panda is promoter of Odisha Television Limited which runs Odia news channel OTV .
