Odisha’s ruling BJD, an arch rival of BJP, celebrates ‘Meri Mati, Mera Desh’ with equal fervor
CM Naveen Patnaik flags off ‘Amrit Kalash Yatra’ ahead of BJP’s official launch of yatra
By Sukant Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, Oct. 29 : Amid the buzz of growing bonhomie between Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday evening flagged off ‘Amrit Kalash Yatra’ under ‘Meri Mati, Mera Desh’ programme.
The enthusiastic participation of the Odisha CM Mr Patnaik in the NDA government’s programme has added fresh credence to speculation of the BJD and BJP forging a kind of “pre-poll understanding” before the 2024 elections for the State Assembly and Lok Sabha.
The BJD, though an arch rival of the BJP in the state, has in the recent past supported the NDA government at the Centre both inside and outside the Parliament. It helped the NDA pass numerous bills in Rajya Sabha. Similarly, it stood by the BJP on ethnic clashes in Manipur.
What is more interesting is that the CM flagged off the ‘Amrit Kalash Yatra’ a day before the Union minister and senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan did the same at his party’s state headquarters here. Nearly seven hundred BJP workers along with party’s state leaders boarded a special train with Amrit Kalash.
Addressing a function at Lok Seva Bhawan (state secretariat) here, the CM said ‘Amrit Vatika’ would be constructed at New Delhi with sacred soil collected from all the panchayats of the country. Sacred soil has been collected from all panchayats of Odisha also, he said.
The CM minced no words in showering profuse thanks and gratitude on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conceptualising such a programme.
“The ‘Amrit Vatika’ constructed with sacred soil from across the country will turn into a place of pilgrimage for all Indians. He said this will create a sense of nationalism among Indians and the younger generations will come to know about the sacrifices made by the freedom fighters for the independence of the country,” Mr Patnaik observed.
Stating independent Bharat was a great gift of the freedom fighters to the people of the country, the chief minister said, “The kalash yatra will inspire us to work for the unity and integrity of the country”.
In fact, the BJD and BJP have turned each other’s fierce foes since 2009 when they parted ways sharing coalition partnership for over 11 years.
