Oriya film star Siddhanta, four BJP lawmakers join BJD

Bhubaneswar, March 13 (IANS) Leading Oriya film actor Siddhanta Mohapatra and four legislators from the Bharatiya Janata Party Friday joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) led by Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

At least eight former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including four legislators, also joined the BJD along with many of their supporters.

Those who joined BJD are Brundaban Majhi, Sananda Marandi, Mahesh Sahu and Dhaneswar Majhi, all sitting members of the state assembly.

Former legislators Ramamurti Gamango, Sadan Nayak, Arabinda Dhali and Bedprakash Agarwal also joined the party.

Mohapatra, who has played lead roles in dozens of films, announced his decision at a function at the BJD office here.

Mohapatra told reporters that he joined the party to serve the people although he will continue to act in films.

The BJD and BJP March 7 announced that they would fight the Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Orissa separately, ending their decade-long alliance.