In the video, Naveen Patnaik can be seen advising him to work hard for the district of Kendrapada. "You have my blessings and please thank your father also," said the Orissa CM while meeting Arabinda at his residence Naveen Niwas.
In response, Arabinda thanked him for welcoming him. Patnaik also addressed a group of party supporters outside his residence. He stated: "I welcome you all to Biju Parivar. I welcome Arabinda Mohapatra, son of Bijoy Babu, to the BJD. You all continue to do good work for Kendrapada."
"I have been touring the Patkura assembly constituency since 2019. I felt the need for a proper platform for taking up the development issues of Patkura. I discussed this with Patkura people at length and took blessings from my father before joining BJD," Arabinda added.
Arabinda Mohapatra is the son of BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra, one of the founding members of the BJD who was expelled from the party 24 years ago.
Bijoy was a four-time MLA from Patkura between 1980 and 2000 and was known to be a confidant of former CM Biju Patnaik, father of current CM Naveen Patnaik. After Biju Patnaik died in 1997, Arabinda's father played a major role in BJD's formation and bringing Naveen Patnaik to lead the party. However, he opposed most decisions of Patnaik which is believed to be the reason for Biju's exit from BJD.
Bijoy was prevented from contesting in BJD's first assembly polls which it fought in alliance with BJP. While he was busy with party work, Patnaik who was the chief of BJD then, cancelled Bijoy's ticket and announced a journalist Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak as BJD's official nominee. Since it happened on the last day of nominations, Bijoy was unable to even reach his constituency to file fresh papers.
Atanu was defeated by a margin of over 50,000 votes and Bijoy's supporters in Patkura elected Trilochan Behera, the candidate he supported. However, Behera betrayed Bijoy by joing BJD.