Former Odisha cadre IAS officer Aparajita Sarangi has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday.

Ms. Sarangi, who took voluntary retirement from service recently, formally joined the saffron party at a ceremony held at the residence of party’s national president Amit Shah in New Delhi.

Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Odisha BJP president Basanta Panda, party’s Odisha in-charge Arun Singh were also present.

Ms. Sarangi will return to Bhubaneswar on Wednesday and attend a meeting at the party’s State office in the city.

An IAS officer of the 1994 batch, Ms. Sarangi was on Central deputation since 2013. Her voluntary retirement was approved by the Centre on November 16.

According to party sources, Ms. Sarangi will contest the 2019 elections either from Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency or Bhubaneswar Central Assembly segment.

During her stint in Odisha, Ms. Sarangi had earned popularity for her work as Commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and in different posts in various Departments of the State government.