Odisha's senior BJP leader and five-time MLA Biswabhusan Harichandan today announced his unwillingness to contest the ensuing elections in the state.
In a letter to the state and central party leadership, Harichandan informed he would not contest the polls and engage himself in campaigning.
Harichandan, who had been in the council of ministers both under Biju Patnaik and Naveen Patnaik, had lost the Assembly elections in 2009 after the break up of the BJD-BJP alliance in Odisha.
Meanwhile, senior BJD leader Duryodhan Majhi, who was denied the party ticket from Khariar in Nuapada district by Naveen Patnaik, today joined the BJP.
