Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha Chief Minister and nine-time MP Giridhar Gamang, his wife Hema, son Sishir along with a dozen of political and farmer leaders from Odisha have joined the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party in Hyderabad on Friday.
Several other leaders including ex-MP Jayram Pangi, ex-MLA Nabin Nanda, farmers’ leader Akshay Kumar, and RTI activist Pradeep Pradhan have also joined the BRS in the presence of its President and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao.
The BRS chief welcomed them into his party by presenting party scarves to them.
“Odisha needs development, which is yet to start. Our BRS will contest in all 147 MLA and 21 MP seats in the next election,” Sishir Gamang told reporters before leaving for Hyderabad.
According to sources, the BRS will focus on southern Odisha, especially Telugu-speaking border constituencies. The party will fight the next election with a focus on farmers and tribals. Chandrasekhar Rao is also expected to visit Odisha soon to launch the party’s state unit.
Meanwhile, the ruling Naveen Patnaik-led BJD and BJP said that there will be no impact of the BRS in Odisha.
(IANS)