Bhubaneswar: Senior BJP leader and parliamentarian Aparajita Sarangi was accorded a rousing welcome on her return to Odisha capital on Thursday after being elected as executive committee member of Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Rwanda.
A sea of people gathered outside the Biju Patnaik International Airport, which reverberated with sounds of gongs, conchs and slogans praising Aparajita, Lok Sabha MP from Bhubaneswar.
Attired in traditional costumes, tribal women also performed folk dances and martial art to welcome Sarangi as a large number of BJP workers and well-wishers from different parts of the state gathered in the state capital.
Thousands of her supporters from different parts of Odisha landed in the capital city to show their love and support waving BJP flag and national tricolour. As they moved in a procession to Sarangi’s office in Palaspalli, slogans in praise of the leader – ‘Aparajita Zindabad’ and ‘Aparajita Is Our Strength’ rent the air.
The Bhubaneswar MP was elected as executive committee member of IPU in the election held at Kigali, Rwanda. Aparajita bagged 12 out of 18 votes. With her election, the MP will represent India in the 15-member executive committee of the IPU.
Addressing the media at the airport, the MP described her election to the important post as a victory for India and said the credit for this achievement goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “It is a victory for India and also a matter of pride for the people of Odisha,” she said.
It was possible because of Modi’s effort to enhance the image of India in the international arena, she said.
The BJP leader said the committee did not have any representative from India for the last 20 years. Najma Heptullah was the last Indian representative in the committee.
Aparajita said she will first visit Lord Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar for darshan and then go to Puri to seek the blessings of Lord Jagannath.
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