Bhubaneswar, Feb 16 (IANS): A suspended legislator of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)in Odisha Sunday switched his loyalty to the Congress.
Bhimsen Choudhury, from Bonai constituency in Sundergarh district, said he was a member of the Congress from 1974 to 1994 before he joined the BJP.
"I am happy that I am back. I will work as an associate member of the Congress party in the assembly," he said.
Choudhury was suspended from the BJP for disobeying the party whip during the Rajya Sabha elections in 2010. Describing his defiance as a violation of the anti-defection law, the BJP had later moved Speaker Pradip Amat to seek his disqualification from the assembly membership.
However, the speaker in a ruling in March 2013 rejected the demand. The BJP then moved the high court, seeking quashing of the speaker's ruling. The case is pending.