Bhubaneswar, March 5 Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik on his 110th birth anniversary, recalling his dedication to the progress of the eastern state.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Speaker Surama Padhy, Deputy Chief Ministers K V Singh Deo and Pravati Parida also offered floral tributes at the statue of Patnaik on the assembly premises.
"On his birth anniversary today, I pay tribute to Shri Biju Patnaik and remember his dedication to the progress of Odisha," Modi said in a post on X.
Majhi said the Odisha government is committed to realizing Patnaik's unfulfilled dreams and building a prosperous Odisha.
"Biju Patnaik was a great freedom fighter, industrialist, skilled pilot, and also a politician. From his student life to the emergency period, his life was filled with struggles. He dedicated his entire life to Odisha and its advancement. He never compromised on his dignity or self-respect, earning him the enduring love and admiration of every Odia," he said.
Accompanied by BJD leaders and scores of party workers, its president and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Naveen Patnaik paid floral tributes at the statue of his father in Bhubaneswar.
"Paid humble tributes to the legendary and mass leader, and former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik on his birth anniversary. His unwavering resolve to enhance the pride of the Odia community, while building Odisha into an excellent state, remains inspiring forever," Naveen Patnaik said.
BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra said party leaders and workers are observing Biju Patnaik's birth anniversary across the state with great enthusiasm.
Blood donation camps have also been organized at various places to mark the occasion, he said.
