Ex-OAS officer appointed as the BJD's spokesperson
Ex-OAS officer appointed as the BJD's spokesperson
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Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) selected former Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer Mahendra Kumar Badhai as the party's spokesperson on Thursday, ahead of a byelection to the Padmapur Assembly member in Odisha's Bargarh district.
On November 17, the senior administrative officer voluntarily retired from service and joined the ruling party in the presence of party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. He was assigned to the Nuapada district as an assistant collector.
His name was also being circulated as a possible contender for the Padampur bypoll on December 5.
While the BJD fielded Barsha Rani Bariha, the elder daughter of MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha, whose death necessitated the bypoll, Badhai's inclusion into the party fold is expected to boost the ruling party's prospects because he is from Tal village in the Padmapur Assembly constituency and is well-liked by the people due to his social work.
According to accounts, Badhai used his own funds to provide tricycles to multiple differently-abled people, financial assistance to underprivileged students, and dry food to communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
