Bhubaneswar, April 9: Expelled Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Pyari Mohan Mohapatra Tuesday converted his Odisha Jana Morcha forum into a political party without changing its name.
Mohapatra's announcement comes months after he was expelled from the ruling party for allegedly plotting a coup to unseat chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik.
Making the announcement at a press conference at his residence in state capital Bhubaneswar, the 73-year-old bureaucrat-turned-politician said the decision to convert OJM into a political party was taken at the general body meeting of the forum here March 30.
Mohapatra said the new party is likely to field candidates in 110 of the state's 147 assembly seats and considering to forge electoral alliance with the likeminded parties.
"Talks are on with likeminded parties. I cannot disclose detail at this moment," he told reporters.
Mohapatra has been Naveen Patnaik's non-official advisor for over a decade. He was first suspended and later expelled from the party after he allegedly plotted a coup to unseat Patnaik. The alleged attempt May 29 last year forced Patnaik to return from Britain in the middle of an official tour.
After his suspension, Mohapatra launched the Odisha Jana Morcha (OJM), a political forum Oct 1, 2012 saying he wants to establish "internal democracy" in the state's ruling party. He was expelled in November last year.
Mohapatra had given the chief minister six months time to change and asked him to act as per party's constitution. The new political party was formed because the chief minister did not make any efforts to reform, he said.
Mohapatra's OJM has organised several rallies and meetings across the state in past months against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
