Bhubaneswar: In a major boost to the Biju Janata Dal ahead of the elections, several renowned jatra artists joined the BJD at Shanka Bhawan here on Monday.
The artists took the membership of the Biju Janata Dal in the presence of senior BJD vice president and MLA Debi Prasad Mishra, MP Manas Mangaraj and MP Amar Patnaik.
Welcoming the jatra artists to the party fold, the senior leaders expressed that the joining will further boost the organisational strength of the BJD.
Speaking on the occasion, the artists said inspired by the people-oriented transformative initiatives and policies of Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik, they joined the BJD.
The Chief Minister has always worked for the development and realization of dreams of the artists, they said.
The artists also thanked the Chief Minister, BJD Organizational Secretary Pranab Prakash Das, MP Manas Managraj and other senior leaders for accepting them in the party.
The artists who were inducted into the BJD include Bapi Panda, Daitari Panda, Chaitnya Paika, Ramesh Chandra Nayak, Sibram Pradhan, Subash Behera, Ratikant Parida, Adhikandha Nayak. More than 350 Jatra artists from different districts of the State joined the BJD.