Youth leader Lanka Simadhari, a close friend of local Congress MLA K Surya Rao, and many others from Gumma and Kashinagar block in Gajapati district joined the BJD here in the presence of Minister Usha Devi on Tuesday.
Simadhri was elected as a Students’ Union president in the SKCG College in 2005.
The joining ceremony organised by former MLA K Narayana Rao was attended by MP SidhantaMohapatra, Ram Chandra Panda, BJD district observer Dr Pradip Panigrahi, Antarjyami Gomango, Mohana MLA Basanti Malick, district president Pradip Kumar Nayak, Pinninti Krishna, BJD Town president Jamidar Patnaik and Lakhmi Kantaparichha, among others.
During her two-day visit, the Minister distributed ration cards under the State food security scheme and inaugurated a few Government programmes.