In a classic case of ‘Aaya Ram Gaya Ram’ politics, Debasis Nayak, a former minister and four-time MLA from Bari assembly seat in Odisha’s Jajpur district, has switched sides thrice in the past 68 days, hopping one party to another. The former lawmaker joined the Congress party on Saturday after resigning from the BJP.
Odisha Congress in-charge Ajoy Kumar inducted Nayak into the Congress fold on Saturday in the presence of State’s Congress leaders.
Nayak, once the blue-eyed boy and trusted aide of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, had joined the BJP on February 25. Prior to that, he was among the front line politicians of the BJD and was elected four times in successive sequence on the regional party’s ticket in 2000, 2004, 2009 and 2014.
The veteran politician had level charges of corruption and bureaucrat-centric administration against the Naveen Patnaik government as he made entry into saffron fold on 25 February. He was effusive in praising the Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he joined BJP.
However, his innings with BJP hardly lasted for little over two months as denial of ticket to contest from Bari assembly seat prompted him to hop to the Congress.
Till 24 February, Nayak was a primary member of the BJD. A day after, he switched to the BJP. On 4 May, he again changed political affiliation. Thus in a span of 68 days, the former minister changed sides thrice from one party to the other.
The coastal State is going to simultaneous polls on May 13, 20, 25 and June 1 for 147 Assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats.