BHUBANESWAR: Pranab Prakash Das, son of former Janata Dal president Ashok Das, with his acolytes joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Sunday.
Welcoming Das and his supporters, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that it was their home coming.
He requested the new entrants to carry on serving the people.
Naveen said that the State Government had launched several programmes from its own resources for the welfare of the poor and downtrodden. Madhubabu Pension Scheme, Gopabandhu Grameen Yojana, Biju Gramjyoti Yojana, Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme, Mission Shakti and self-help groups (SHGs) for women are meant for the economic development of the poor people, he said.
Referring to the all-round development of Jajpur district during the period, the Chief Minister said that several industries had been established which have created employment potential for the youths of the area.
Rajya Sabha member Pyari Mohan Mohapatra said that there should not be any differences in the BJD and announced that infighting would not be allowed in the party. The BJD is one group and its leader is Naveen Patnaik, he said. The function was presided over by Jajpur district BJD president Rahas Bihari Das. Chairperson of Jajpur Municipality Gitarani Behera, vice-chairman Santosh Kumar Mallik and Jajpur panchayat samiti chairperson Akshaya Kumar Jena were among others, who joined the party.