Baijayant Panda slams Naveen Patnaik for linking him to mining

The BJP national vice president denied being involved in granting mining leases to companies.

After Hindi belt losses, Shah keen to get back to winning mode in Odisha

Apart from eyeing a victory in Assembly elections, BJP is looking to improve its LS tally from the lone seat it won out of 21 in 2014 2014.

Analysts say Panda entry into the BJP will help the party to benefit from mass contact campaign.

Assembly polls in the state will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections.

Panda, 55, quit the BJD last May after a bitter falling out with his party chief, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Mahtab alleged that Jay Panda, along with his wife and a family associate had opened an account in tax haven Bahamas in violation of rules.

Panda condemned the attempts being made by the Odisha government to “throttle” the voices of farmers.

Odisha police filed case against Panda for allegedly violating rules by flying over Chilika lake, a ‘No Flying Eco Sensitive Zone’.

He resigned from party primary membership citing lack of political decency.

In a letter to BJD president and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Panda said, 'He is deeply anguised'.