Bhubaneswar: Governing BJD has organised a two-day workshop on Thursday for party functionaries for success of the month long Padajatra begins from October 2.
Biju Janata Dal Supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who was in Bangalore, virtually addressed the party workers.
In a message from Bangalore, Naveen said his party is with the people and working for the people. He asked the party leaders and workers to focus on how the message of various welfare programmes launched by the Government will reach the people.
The Chief Minister also advised the party cadres to apprise the people about the role of freedom fighters from Odisha in the freedom struggle.
All Ministers, MLAs, MPs, party office bearers and leaders of various party frontal organisations from across the state joined the preparatory meeting on the first day on Thursday.
Presiding over the meeting Party’s Organisational Secretary Pranab Prakash Das said after the demise of Biju Babu on April 17, 1997, Naveen Patnaik took over the party for the all-around development of the state.
Today BJD has emerged as a mass movement to protect the interest of the state. Even after such long years, it remains firm in its commitment, he said.
Stating that it is our responsibility to take this commitment ahead, he appealed to the party leaders to make the padayatra a success.
Senior party Vice President Debi Prasad Mishra, former MP Prasanna Acharya, Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Ashok Panda, Biju Mahila Janata Dal President Snehangini Chhuria, MP Sasmit Patra, senior leader Pramila Mallick, Biju Chhatra Janata Dal President Debi Ranjan Tripathy among others also spoke on the occasion and appealed to make the padayatra a success.
Highlighting the central negligence, Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra said Naveen Patnaik is fighting for the interest of the State at Delhi also. “We do not have any Master’s in Delhi. Four and a half crore people of the State are our masters,” he said.
Dr.Patra raised several Central negligence issues including non-lifting of parboiled rice and non-allocation of PMAY houses for poor people of Odisha.
Eminent motivational Speaker Ujjwal Patani gave a motivational speech to the BJD workers in the afternoon. He described Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as one of the three best leaders of the country and half of the leaders of the country should learn the art of humbleness and simplicity from him.