Bhubaneswar, April 14: The BJD today changed guards in its youth and students' wings and infused "fresh blood". The party replaced its youth wing president Sanjay Das Burma with Amaresh Patri. Das Burma had been heading the party youth wing for the last nine years.

Patri, a close follower of panchayati raj minister Arun Sahu, was vice-president of the students' wing of the BJD. The party also tried to assuage the feelings of Banki MLA Pravat Tripathy, who has been suspended following his arrest by the CBI in connection with the money laundering scam, by appointing his son Debi Ranjan Tripathy as the working president of the students' wing.

The party also replaced its students' wing president Byomkesh Ray with Rana Pratap Patra, a former president of BJB College students' union. Ray will continue to work as adviser of the party youth wing. The BJD today also announced that Chinmay Sahoo, the former president of Utkal University students' union, would be the adviser of its youth wing. However, none of his followers were given any post. Sisir Parija, a former student wing office-bearer, has been inducted in the youth wing as secretary general.

Biju anniversary

The BJD will commemorate the 20th death anniversary of Biju Patnaik on April 17 in a big way, a day after the conclusion of the two-day national executive meet of the BJP in the city. The party is putting up hoardings and banners across the city in an effort to match the BJP's publicity. The party will observe Biju's death anniversary at block and district headquarters levels as well.