Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders and workers hoisted party flag and took oath to build ‘Nabin Odisha’ at Sankha Bhawan in Odisha capital on Tuesday, on its 27th foundation day.
“Today is the 27th foundation day of the Biju Janata Dal, and there are 26 years of service that we complete today, and we re-dedicate ourselves through a pledge in the party office today to work for Nabin Odisha, and to build a most stronger, a more self-reliant and becoming the number 1 state in the country. Today, on this auspicious occasion, we have a number of programmes that are being done…,” BJD MP Sasmit Patra told ANI.
The BJD is celebrating the day in all blocks, urban local bodies (ULBs) and 147 Assembly segments with blood donation camps, plantation drives and other social activities.A cycle rally from Anand Bhawan in Cuttack to Sankha Bhawan is also being held on the occasion.
“CM Naveen Patnaik gave good governance and took Odisha forward on the path of development. Cycle rally and many other programmes will also be organised today…,” said BJD Vice President Debi Prasad Mishra.
It was on this day 26 years back that Naveen Patnaik along with several other erstwhile Janata Dal (JD) leaders founded the BJD, months after the demise of his father and former chief minister Biju Patnaik. Flanked by Ramakrushna Patnaik and Bijoy Mohapatra and a host of others, who broke away from JD and formed BJD, Naveen had stressed redressing the alleged wrong treatment meted out to the people of Odisha by the ruling Congress in the state.
The party has been in power in Odisha since 2000. It came to power with BJP as alliance partner in 2000 and 2004. The BJD severed ties with the saffron party prior to the 2009 state assembly elections and won 103 seats independently. It increased its representation to 117 in the 2014 elections and retained its strong hold with 112 seats in the 2019 elections.
