Bhubaneswar, Feb 18: With the election season drawing near, there's heightened speculation swirling around Arabinda Dhali, a BJD MLA, and the possibility of his defection to the BJP.
In a recent development, Dhali made a trip to New Delhi where he met with President Droupadi Mutmu. Following this meeting, noticeable changes have been observed in his demeanor. Departing from his customary invocation of "Jaya Jagannath" at the start of his speeches, he now opts for "Jay Shree Ram." This shift has ignited conversations about his potential reunion with the BJP. Notably, Dhali has a history with the BJP, having previously served as an MLA from Malkangiri and commencing his political journey with the party. Should the BJD fail to offer him a ticket in the impending election, a return to the BJP might be on the cards for him.
Despite Dhali's active engagement with constituents and his efforts to maintain public relations, he seems to have been sidelined within his own assembly constituency for some time now. Internal factional conflicts within the BJD have left his supporters uncertain about his prospects of securing a BJD ticket in the upcoming election.
Meanwhile, a new contender has emerged in the Jayadev constituency - Akshay Behera. Behera has been diligently working in local communities, rallying party workers over the past few months, potentially reshaping the political landscape in the region.
