As the ruling Biju Janata Dal observed its 27 years of formation, thousands of party leaders and workers across the state on Tuesday took pledge to build a 'Nabin' (new) Odisha and celebrated the occasion as the Foundation Day.

The founder president of BJD and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik offered floral tribute at the statue of his father Biju Patnaik, in whose name the regional party was named. The BJD was formed on December 26, 1997, after the demise of Biju Patnaik in April that year.

The party leaders and workers at the BJD state headquarters 'Sankha Bhavan' took oath rededicating themselves to work selflessly for the state and its people, said BJD vice president Debi Prasad Mishra.

"I take pride in being a disciplined member of the BJD. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is the architect of Odisha's development and I will act as a soldier to take the state's developments to new heights. I will fight for the legitimate demands of the state. I take the pledge to work for building a prosperous, empowered and self-respecting new Odisha," the members read out at the function.

The foundation day of the BJD was observed in all blocks, urban local bodies (ULBs) and 147 Assembly segments with blood donation camps, plantation drives and other social activities. A cycle rally from 'Anand Bhawan' (Naveen Patnaik's birthplace) in Cuttack to Sankha Bhavan in Bhubaneswar was organised.

Mishra said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has given good governance and Odisha is on the path of development during the last 24 years.

Mishra said that 26 years ago Naveen Patnaik along with several other erstwhile Janata Dal (JD) leaders founded the BJD. The BJD as a regional party has all along been claiming that it is fighting for the genuine demands and alleged wrong treatment meted out to the people of Odisha by the subsequent Central governments.

The BJD has been in power in Odisha since 2000 and Naveen Patnaik has been the chief minister for five consecutive times. Though the BJD formed its first government in the state along with BJP, the regional party later severed its ties with the saffron party before the 2009 state assembly elections and won 103 seats independently in the 147-member Odisha Assembly. The BJD increased its representation to 117 in the 2014 elections and won 112 seats in the 2019 elections.

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