Bhubaneswar, April 15: Odisha BJP and ruling BJD are throwing tantrums over roping in Odia actors for political campaign and party candidature.

The BJD that has been the ruling party in the state for two decades used to be the first choice of leading Odia film stars. But ahead of the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Odisha, almost all of them have switched to the BJP.

Also Read: Odisha: After quitting BJD, former OSCW Chairperson Jyoti Panigrahi joins BJP

With no star campaigners left in the party, BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday held a meeting with some leading cine stars and YouTubers on Friday and urged them to campaign for the party. A group of Odia cinema celebrities including Babusan Mohanty, Amlan Das, Sailendra, Ashiwini Tripathy, Pragyan, Bhumika, Supriya and some YouTubers held a discussion with Patnaik and VK Pandian.

Earlier, Odia film personalities-turned politicians snapped their ties with the BJD, an actor turned BJD leader had termed them big Zeros and said they were winning only for the blessings of Chief Minister's persona and blessings.

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After Naveen Patnaik's meeting with cine stars on Friday, BJP lashed out at BJD. Addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar, BJP leaders from film industry Pinky Pradhan and Harihara Mahapatra alleged that the BJD appeared to have been rattled after big stars of Odia film faternity quit the party and joined the saffron party.

 “As the BJD is afraid of defeat in the upcoming elections, it invited a host of actors, comedians and singers of the Odia film industry to meet the chief minister,” said Pinky Pradhan.

With no star campaigners left in the party, the BJD is trying to rope in the young actors to pull crowds during its poll campaigns, Pradhan added.

Also Read: Young politicians in Odisha prepare to inherit legacy

BJD government has done nothing for the welfare of the artists and Odia film industry during its 24 years of rule. It has only adopted “use and throw” policy towards artists and now trying to divide the artists based on party politics, alleged Mahapatra.

Veteran Odia film actor and two-time Berhampur MP on BJD ticket Sidhant Mohapatra, BJD's Kendrapara MP Anubhav Mohanty, actor Arindam Ray and some others have quit the ruling party and joined the BJP.

 Also Read: Ahead of polls, Odia films stars, YouTubers spotted in Naveen Niwas