While various programmes of the BJP were being held across the country on the birth anniversary of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, some prominent BJD leaders of the Palsada Gram Panchayat under the Paikmal block of Bargarh district joined the BJP in the presence of former MLA Padampur, Pradeep Purohit.
They were Bhagwan Luhar, Raj Kumar Taria, Madhusudan Meher, Divya Kumar Nayak, Anta Patel, Sonu Mirdha, Dayanidhi Jhara, Rupadhar Mallick, Fakir Rana, Lal Bihari Rana, Narayan Bag and Turesh Nag among others.
They vowed to stick to the BJP's ideology. Earlier, hundreds of BJD workers, led by BJD senior leaders Sushant Nag, Divakar Tanti and Ajay Seth had joined the BJP. BJP district vice-president Saroj Samal, Krishak Morcha district president Srikant Mishra, Paikmal constituency president Kailash Dishree, Rajendra Seth, Madhav Panigrahi, Biranchi Bhui and Shivin Luhar were present at the amalgamation ceremony.