The Biju Janata Dal faced a significant setback when senior leader Amar Patnaik, a former Rajya Sabha member, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on the same day party president Naveen Patnaik began campaigning for the November 11 Nuapada Assembly bypoll. The BJP strategically timed Amar's induction ceremony to coincide with the former chief minister's rally. Amar, 58, is a retired Indian Audit and Accounts Service officer who left government service in 2018 to join the BJD. He was given charge of the party's IT cell and was among the few leaders with access to Naveen Patnaik's close circle. After serving in the Rajya Sabha until April last year, he became the BJD national spokesperson and led the party's challenge over alleged election data discrepancies following their 2024 defeat. His departure marks a notable loss for the regional party.
Amar Patnaik's Political Journey and Switch to BJP
Amar Patnaik announced his decision to join the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and state party chief Manmohan Samal. He cited inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for national development and commitment to all sections of society. The former bureaucrat had taken voluntary retirement nine years early in 2018 after serving as Principal Accountant General across multiple states including Odisha, Sikkim, West Bengal, and Kerala. His expertise in data-driven political strategy made him valuable to the BJD, where he oversaw survey details during the 2019 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Following the BJD's electoral success that year, he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, serving until April of the previous year.
Source: Link