Bhubaneswar: To add to it star power, the BJP has decided to rope in Odia film actors Mihir Das and Anu Choudhury. They will be joining the party here on Saturday along with former BJD MLA from Satyabadi, Ramaranjan Balirsingh.

The two cine stars will join the party in the presence of Union petroleum and natural gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan at the BJP office here.

Das said: "Now I will get in touch with the people directly and dedicate the rest of my life working for them."

Das had joined the BJD in 2014 before the general elections and actively campaigned for the party.

However, after the BJD sidelined him and gave more importance to Prashant Nanda, another leading film personality, Das decided to jump onto the BJP bandwagon.

Anu Choudhury, who is known for her good work in Odia cinema, said: "I am inspired by the ideology of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I will work hard for the benefit of the masses."

Sources said Anu, a successful actress, could turn out to be the trump card of the BJP. Earlier, several actors including Sritam Das, Pinky Pradhan, Harihar Mohapatra and Ajit Das had joined the BJP.

The BJD has Odia film actors such as Prashant Nanda, Siddhant Mohapatra, Akash Das Nayak and Pappu Pom Pom aka Tatwa Prakash Satpathy in its ranks.

"Now the BJP can match the star power of the BJD," said a senior BJP leader.

More than 35 personalities, including several actors and actresses, have so far joined the BJP after the panchayat elections last year.

Along with these two Ollywood stars, Baliarsingh, who recently resigned from the BJD, will join the BJP. BJP vice-president Samir Mohanty said: "More and more leaders are evincing their interest in joining the BJP. Just wait, more of them will come."