Former Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Baijayant Jay Panda, who recently joined the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), was on Friday appointed party's national Vice President and Spokesperson.

Panda, a four-time member of Parliament, was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kendrapara constituency of Odisha in 2014. He was suspended from the BJD for "anti-party activities" on January 24, 2018.

Panda finally quit the party on May 28 last year and joined the BJP on March 4 in the presence of Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Juel Oram.

One of the founding members of the BJD, Panda worked in the corporate sector before joining politics.

In 2014, out of the 21 seats in Odisha, the BJP was on second position in 10 seats and won one, while the ruling BJD won 20 seats.

The appointment of Panda assumes significance as the BJP has been making an extra effort in Odisha where it wants to make a direct contest with the BJD by cornering the Congress.

--IANS

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