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Updated: Nov 27, 2018 15:50 IST

Former Odisha cadre IAS officer Aparajita Sarangi joined the BJP on Tuesday in the presence of the party’s National President Amit Shah here.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Odisha unit President Basant Panda and BJP Odisha in-charge Arun Singh and several other leaders were also present on the occasion.

“I want to work for people on a very large scale. Politics is the only platform which provides this kind of opportunity for me. The party’s motto and leader made me choose BJP which not only assures development but ensures speed in development,” Sarangi told the media here.

Pradhan said Sarangi’s experience in administration will greatly work towards strengthening the party.

“I welcome her to the BJP family. Her experience in administration especially in improving school and mass education in Odisha will greatly strengthen the state BJP,” tweeted Pradhan.

Sarangi, a 1994-batch IAS officer who was serving as the Joint Secretary of MGNREGA under the Ministry of Rural Development, had applied for voluntary retirement from service on September 15.