Mumbai, Apr 7 (IANS): The glamour quotient of Nationalist Congress Party shot up as well-known actresses Asawari Joshi and Swagata Shah joined the party here on Thursday.

They were warmly welcomed to the party fold by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, NCP general secretary Shivajirao Garje, MLA Sunil Shelke, chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase, state spokesperson Umesh Patil, the NCP Film & Culture Department President Babasaheb Patil and others.

While Asawari has made her mark in Marathi and Hindi films and teleserials, Swagata has carved a niche in Gujarati and Hindi serials and theatre.

In her brief address, Asawari said that with guidance from the party leadership, she would work against the runaway inflation gripping the country to ensure essentials are available to the masses at affordable rates.

On the occasion, Pawar said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government has extended assistance to over 3,000 artistes, including the exponents of the folk dance, 'Tamasha', through the NCP Welfare Trust.

Besides Asawari and Swagata, prominent BJP leaders from rural Pune and Raigad along with a large number of party workers and their supporters entered the NCP.

Other important film artistes who are with NCP include Savita Malpekar, Dr Amol R. Kolh, Priya Berde, Vijay Patkar, Vaishali Made, Surekha Punekar and more, in the past few years.