Bhubaneswar, March 19: Prominent Congress leader in Kendrapara district Archana Nayak today joined the Biju Janata Dal along with her supporters ending the party’s frantic search for a candidate in Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency. Nayak became the second Congressman after Harihasr Swain to join BJD for a Lok Sabha ticket.

Nayak, who has been a perpetually loser from Kendrapara Lok Sabha and Patkura Assembly seats, quit the party following an assurance from the BJD top brass that she would be the party candidate from Kendrapara. The seven-year-old party has been hamstrung by the lack of a candidate after sitting MP Prabhat Samantray defected to the Orissa Gana Parishad after his suspension two years ago.

Nayak, who joined the BJD at the party office, said she had full confidence in Naveen Patnaik’s leadership. For the last few weeks, the party was in dire need of a candidate for the seat as it considered fielding the Rajya Sabha MP Baijayant Panda from Kendrapara. The BJD leaders even reportedly tried to bring back Prabhat Samantary back to the party as a last ditch effort to put up a candidate at any cost.

Earlier this week, former minister and Congressman Harihar Swain had joined BJD for a Lok Sabha ticket from Aska constituency. The BJD won the seat in 1999.

Patnaik said the party would release its candidates’ list for the 84 Assembly seats on Saturday.