BHUBANESWAR: BJD president and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday dismissed talks about the party breaking up in the near future and asserted that it will remain the voice of Odisha for the next 100 years.
Addressing the BJD’s 29th foundation day celebrations at the Sankha Bhawan here, the former chief minister lashed out at ‘some political parties and persons’ for spreading misinformation about the party.
He said the BJD does not belong to one or two leaders but has evolved into the voice of Odisha’s 4.5 crore people. The BJD, he added, has become a people’s movement deeply rooted in Odia aspirations and pride. “BJD is there and will continue to be the voice of the people of Odisha for the next 100 years,” he said.
The former chief minister said since 1997, the party has served the people of Odisha following the ideology of former chief minister Biju Patnaik.
From 2000 to 2024, the BJD rule has been a golden era in Odisha’s development history. During this period, the state fought against poverty, hunger, infant mortality and natural disasters successfully.
Naveen said the BJD government gave Odisha a new identity, empowered women, increased farmers’ incomes, provided free health services under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, brought investment to the state and created jobs for the youth.
Coming down heavily on the present BJP government, he said development of the state has completely stalled. “There is double-engine government in Odisha now. But where is the development? Farmers don’t get fertiliser, mandis have not opened for procurement of paddy, Mission Shakti members are being harassed and youths are getting frustrated. In the last 18 months of the double-engine government, 18 question papers have been leaked. There is no feeling of a government in the state,” he said.
Stating that patience is crucial in politics, the BJD president expressed confidence in the hard work and dedication of the party’s millions of workers. He called on everyone in the party to turn the present challenges into opportunities and work towards building a strong Odisha.
Emphasising the youth as the party’s most valuable asset, the leader of the Opposition said that service, struggle and self-respect are the ideology of BJD. He urged the party’s youth members to stay active on social media and counter the misinformation spread against the party.