Bhubaneswar: In a significant political development, the former Member of Parliament from Koraput, Jayaram Pangi, officially joined the Congress party today. The event took place at Congress Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, where OPCC President Sharat Patnaik welcomed him into the party fold. Notable figures from the Congress leadership, including chairman of the campaigning committee Bijay Patnaik, former minister Niranjan Patnaik, and former PCC president Prasad Harichandan, graced the occasion, among others.
A respected tribal leader, Jayaram Pangi, expressed his decision to align with the Congress, citing the goal of strengthening the party and working towards the removal of the BJD government. Pangi passionately called upon the people of the state to unite and vote out the BJD in the upcoming elections, emphasizing the need to save the state from what he deemed unfavorable governance.
Upon joining the Congress, the former MP confidently stated, “Congress will assume power in Odisha, and it stands as the preferred choice for the tribal community in the state.” Pangi also remarked on the inability of Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) to gain traction in Odisha.
Jayaram Pangi’s political journey has seen him associated with various parties, including a stint in Telangana Chief Minister KCR’s BRS. Prior to that, he was affiliated with the BJP, BJD, and Janata Dal. Having been elected four times to the Legislative Assembly and once to the Lok Sabha, Pangi’s political career began in 1977 when he secured a seat in the Legislative Assembly from Pottangi on a Janata Dal ticket.
Subsequently, he won the Assembly seat in 1990 for a second term under the Janata Dal banner. In 2000 and 2004, Pangi represented the Pottangi constituency in the Legislative Assembly as a member of the BJD. His political journey took a national turn in the 2009 general election when he contested and won the Koraput Lok Sabha seat on the BJD ticket.
However, in 2017, Pangi parted ways with the BJD and joined the BJP. However, he faced defeat in the 2019 general election from the Koraput Lok Sabha seat contesting on a BJP ticket. Now, with his allegiance to the Congress, Jayaram Pangi adds a new chapter to his political trajectory, aligning himself with the party’s vision for the state of Odisha.
