'BJD will be in power for next 100 years if women continue to bless party': CM Patnaik

PURI: In a bid to keep the party rank and file election ready, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday said that the Biju Janata Dal will be in power for the next 100 years if women continue to bless the party as they have done during the last 22 years.

“If our mothers and sisters want, the BJD will be there for not 25 or 50 years, but for the next 100 years,” Naveen said during the silver jubilee celebrations of the party’s foundation day.

On the occasion, the chief minister made a strong statement that the party neither depends on one or two persons nor will it depend in the future. The BJD has become a social movement, he added.

Besides focusing on women empowerment during his speech, Naveen also called upon partymen to work for the betterment of tribals, Dalits, and farmers. Emphasising that service to people is the mantra of the party for its survival for such a long period, he said that the party should keep the good work going.

Stating that the BJD wants inclusive growth by involving all sectors of society, the chief minister said that the regional outfit has now grown into a social movement and is not confined to any region or section of people. “The BJD is a party of Odisha with 4.5 crore people not confined to any region or class,” he said and called upon all professionals, litterateurs, and sportsmen to join the party if they want to serve the state.

Emphasising Odisha’s identity and BJD’s state-centric priority, the chief minister said that the focus of national political parties can never be on the state. “A state will never feature in any national party’s agenda,” he said.

Naveen's speech was being keenly watched as this may be the last speech to the party workers before the next elections and in view of the visit of BJP national president JP Nadda to the state on December 28. However, he avoided taking the names of any political party during his speech.

“There are three basic things for which the party has become a success and is around for a long 22 years. These are service to people, a clean and transparent government, and Biju Babu’s ideals,” he said.

Stating that Odisha’s governance model is being praised both in the country and abroad, the chief minister said that it is a professionally run government that runs on the principles of 5T. "It is a government sensitive to people’s aspirations and needs, which has initiatives like Mo Sarkar," he added.

Talabania, the venue of the celebration, was prepared with huge tents, banners, gates, flag cards, and posters. Over 50,000 BJD workers including office-bearers of district and block units, MPs, MLAs, and other elected representatives from all over the attended function. The district administration made elaborate security arrangements for the day with the deployment of a large number of police forces.

PURI: In a bid to keep the party rank and file election ready, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday said that the Biju Janata Dal will be in power for the next 100 years if women continue to bless the party as they have done during the last 22 years. “If our mothers and sisters want, the BJD will be there for not 25 or 50 years, but for the next 100 years,” Naveen said during the silver jubilee celebrations of the party’s foundation day. On the occasion, the chief minister made a strong statement that the party neither depends on one or two persons nor will it depend in the future. The BJD has become a social movement, he added. Besides focusing on women empowerment during his speech, Naveen also called upon partymen to work for the betterment of tribals, Dalits, and farmers. Emphasising that service to people is the mantra of the party for its survival for such a long period, he said that the party should keep the good work going. Stating that the BJD wants inclusive growth by involving all sectors of society, the chief minister said that the regional outfit has now grown into a social movement and is not confined to any region or section of people. “The BJD is a party of Odisha with 4.5 crore people not confined to any region or class,” he said and called upon all professionals, litterateurs, and sportsmen to join the party if they want to serve the state. Emphasising Odisha’s identity and BJD’s state-centric priority, the chief minister said that the focus of national political parties can never be on the state. “A state will never feature in any national party’s agenda,” he said. Naveen's speech was being keenly watched as this may be the last speech to the party workers before the next elections and in view of the visit of BJP national president JP Nadda to the state on December 28. However, he avoided taking the names of any political party during his speech. “There are three basic things for which the party has become a success and is around for a long 22 years. These are service to people, a clean and transparent government, and Biju Babu’s ideals,” he said. Stating that Odisha’s governance model is being praised both in the country and abroad, the chief minister said that it is a professionally run government that runs on the principles of 5T. "It is a government sensitive to people’s aspirations and needs, which has initiatives like Mo Sarkar," he added. Talabania, the venue of the celebration, was prepared with huge tents, banners, gates, flag cards, and posters. Over 50,000 BJD workers including office-bearers of district and block units, MPs, MLAs, and other elected representatives from all over the attended function. The district administration made elaborate security arrangements for the day with the deployment of a large number of police forces.