Bhubaneswar: A day after receiving the ‘Ideal Chief Minister’ award at Pune at the Indian Student Parliament conclave, BJD supremo and CM Naveen Patnaik was given a rousing welcome by thousands when he arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here Monday afternoon.
Thousands of supporters, BJD MPs, MLAs and leaders gathered on Airport Road shouting slogans supporting the Chief Minister.
The road from the airport to Naveen Niwas, the CM’s residence, was filled with crowds. The entire stretch was also covered with BJD’s banners and posters and its leader. The BJD had also organised cultural events and folk dances to celebrate the occasion. Thousands thronged the airport to catch a glimpse of the Chief Minster.
In his address Patnaik said, “I am indebted to your love and affection. I dedicate the Ideal Chief Minister award to my dear people of the state.” He urged the people to work hard to make Orissa the ‘number one state’ in the country.
Patnaik had received the award Sunday from former President Pratibha Patil at the 8th Bhartiya Chhatra Sansad organised by MIT World Peace University (MIT WPU) and Pune’s MIT School of Government.
Meanwhile, the BJP and the Congress criticised the award. “It appears to be a sponsored one like the previous Best Administrator Award given to Patnaik by a Delhi-based magazine,” BJP spokesman Pitamber Acharya told reporters at a press conference here.
Congress spokesman Sarat Rout said, “How was Patnaik chosen the Ideal Chief Minister when his government had failed to protect the interests of Orissa in the Mahanadi dispute.”
BJD spokesman PK Deb rejected the criticism and said, “There were several eminent persons, including BJP leaders, in the jury that selected Patnaik as the Ideal Chief Minister.” BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra said, “The crowds at the airport proves the CM’s popularity. The support proves that the people will be with us in 2019.”
PNN