Bhubaneswar: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today celebrated the silver jubilee of its foundation day in Puri. The grand celebration of the regional party at Puri’s Talabania, is aimed at boosting the party’s prospects ahead of the assembly and Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
The Biju Janata Dal was founded on December 26, 1997, and named after its legendary leader Biju Patnaik, the father of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The function in Puri saw a huge congregation of workers and leaders of the party.
This is a social movement. This is a movement to take further the people’s aspirations, pride and confidence. As the national parties have the agenda of national politics, they will never focus the agenda of Odisha. Only one regional party – Biju Janata Dal can develop Odisha, he added.
BJD, in power in Odisha since 2000, could not organise its foundation day function last year due to the Covid pandemic. Party president Naveen Patnaik called upon people who have faith in the development of the state and who are dreaming of a new Odisha, to come forward and join BJD, which he said is a social movement, than a political party.
Addressing the gathering of thousands of leaders and workers, Naveen said that the Biju Janata Dal has become a social movement which is constantly striving to further the people’s aspirations, confidence and self-respect. “Today Biju Janata Dal has is celebrating 25 years of service to the people of Odisha. I am indebted to the four and half crore people of Odisha who have given us the opportunity to serve them. The Biju Janata Dal is always indebted to the people of Odisha,” he said.
“My sincere request to mothers and sisters to come forward and take the responsibility. With the blessings of our empowered women of the State, Biju Janata Dal will serve till hundred years and not just 25 or 50 years, the party supremo said.
Naveen said “Our first duty is Our State and People, the interest of Odisha, Development of Odisha, Glory of Odisha, the Language of Odisha, and the Culture of Odisha. Biju Janata Dal is working for the self respect of Odias.”
The second is – Biju Babu’s Principles. I have always said that Biju Babu was not a leader, he was a phenomenon and he was completely futuristic – way ahead of his times. Every drop of his blood contained with the prosperity of Odisha and pride of Odisha. The Party formed based on the path shown by the great leader is right on the path and working will always continue to do so.”
The third is – Transparent and Clean Governance. Our vested interest is the Development of Odisha, the development of the people of Odisha. There is no second vested interest for the party, he said.
“The fourth is – Empowerment of Women. Since the people of Odisha blessed us in year 2000, our priority has been the empowerment of our mothers. We strongly believe that the development of our mothers will take Odisha further. That is why Mission Shakti has become a mass movement in women empowerment.”
“BJD is a social movement. It is a movement to further the aspirations, confidence and pride of the people of Odisha. Every house needs to participate in this movement. Help us to build the Odisha of our dreams. In another 12 years, we will celebrate 100 years of the formation of Odisha. I need not tell that where we have reached in the last twenty years. You all and the world knows that and is seeing,” Naveen added.
