BHUBANESWAR: In true spirit of Odia tradition, the first invitation of the BJP to the swearing-in ceremony of its first government in the state was sent to Lord Jagannath.
A group of newly-elected MLAs of the saffron party comprising Deputy Chief Minister designate Pravati Parida, Prithiviraj Harichandan, Irashish Acharya and Ashrit Patnaik went to Shree Jagannath temple, Puri with an invitation card for the Lord of the Universe. “In Odia tradition, the first invitation for any religious or solemn ceremony like marriage is made to Shree Jagannath. We have come to invite Mahaprabhu Jagannath to the oath-taking ceremony and seek His blessings,” said Parida.
Displaying democratic spirit, the BJP also invited BJD president and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik to the swearing-in ceremony of CM elect Mohan Charan Majhi and council of ministers to be held at Janata Maidan on June 12.
A five-member team of the party led by state BJP president Manmohan Samal went to Naveen Nivas and invited the former chief minister to the event. “We requested the former CM to join the event which he accepted. The meeting with him was brief and cordial,” Samal told mediapersons. Apart from Samal, senior party leaders Suresh Pujari, Basanta Panda, Samir Mohanty and Nityananda Gond had gone to the former CM’s residence.
Samal said leaders of the opposition political parties will be invited to the ceremony. He said invitation cards will be sent to all Odias holding constitutional positions, heading leading institutions of the country and IAS officers posted in Delhi.
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, CAG Girish Murmu, LIC chairman Sidhartha Mohanty, secretary to Atomic Energy Ajit Mohanty prominently figured in the list of invitees.
Apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, all union ministers, all CMs of BJP and NDA-ruled states and other important dignitaries from different walks of life have been invited to the function.