Former Kalahandi BJD MP Arka Keshari Deo on Wednesday returned to the BJP after staying away from the saffron camp for about 10 years.
The young leader joined the BJP along with his wife Malvika Devi in Bhubaneswar in the presence of senior leaders of the party, including BJP State president Manmohan Samal and Kalahandi MP Basant Kumar Panda.
Arka Keshari had joined the BJD in 2013 after the demise of his father Bikram Keshari Deo, who was a former BJP MP. Subsequently, he resigned from the ruling party in 2019. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014 from Kalahandi on a BJD ticket.
The ruling party had fielded former Minister Pushpendra Singhdeo in 2019 General Elections. However, BJP candidate and former state president of the party Basant Panda won the seat.
