BJD to hold foundation day silver jubilee fete in a big way in Puri on Dec 26

Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) will hold its Foundation Day silver jubilee function in a big way in Puri on December 26 to strengthen the rank and file of the party for the next Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

The regional party, which is headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and is in power in Odisha since 2000, could not celebrate its Foundation Day function last year due to Covid pandemic. The top leadership has now decided to celebrate the silver jubilee celebration in a big way in Puri, BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra said after a meeting at Naveen Niwas on Sunday.

Noting that the BJD during its 25 years of existence has become a ''mass movement'' instead of being just a political outfit, another party vice-president Prasanna Acharya said all office-bearers, comprising from the State to district and block units and elected representatives, will participate in the function in Puri. Naveen will address the meeting and show roadmaps for the party for the future.

He said the BJD Foundation Day would also be held in all Assembly constituencies in the next 15 days. The Biju Janata Dal was founded on December 26, 1997. It was named after legendary leader Biju Patnaik, who is father of Naveen Patnaik. The BJD first formed the government in alliance with the BJP in the State and it continued till 2009. The Puri function is likely to see the launch of BJD's poll campaign for the next general elections which is due in 2024, sources said.