Bhubaneswar: Former Indian hockey captain, Prabodh Tirkey, officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), four days after tendering his resignation from the Congress party. Tirkey made his decision public at a rally venue in Sonepur, where he was welcomed into the BJP fold in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, state BJP president Manmohan Samal, KV Singdeo, and several other senior leaders.
Tirkey’s entry into the saffron party comes after a series of events that unfolded following his nomination by the Congress as its candidate for the Talasara Assembly constituency in Sundargarh district. However, to Tirkey’s surprise, the Congress later dropped his name from the list and announced the candidacy of Debendra Bhitaria for the Talsara seat.
Expressing his disappointment with the Congress’s decision, Tirkey resigned from the party. Despite actively campaigning in Talsara after being nominated by Congress, Tirkey found himself excluded from the final list of candidates without any explanation from party leaders.
Speaking about his decision to join the BJP, Tirkey emphasized the need for a political platform that aligns with his vision and values. He expressed confidence in the leadership of the BJP and its commitment to addressing the needs of the people.