Chief minister Naveen Patnaik at BJD’s padayatra in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 2: BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik, being buoyed by the success of urban elections, today started its nine-day long padayatra from a slum behind Capital Hospital at Unit-VI.

A relaxed-looking Naveen thanked the people for overwhelmingly supporting the party in the recently concluded urban polls. Out of 66 civic bodies, the BJD formed councils in 48.

As usual, Naveen read from a prepared text, which put thrust on the state’s various development initiatives. He said the party would continue to work for the development of the state. However, he was not aggressive this time, but simply made a brief walk before reaching the venue amid hundreds of people.

Naveen continued to receive flowers, bouquets from the streams of people gathered at the meeting place. Even an 80-year-old woman with the help of police climbed to the stage demanding to include her name in the BPL list. The chief minister assured her saying that her case would be taken up and instructed local MLA Bijay Mohanty to look into the issue.

All and sundry queued up to give bouquets to the chief minister. He responded all with a smile.

All leaders praised Naveen and the chief minister continued to bask in the glory of the success. The party vice-president and minister Surjya Narayan Patro said all the parties, including the Congress and the BJP, would certainly fade away with Naveen’s charisma. Bhubaneswar mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said houses would be given to the slum dwellers on October 5. More residential units will also be built for the slum dwellers, he said.

On the other hand, the Pradesh Congress, which is a divided house after its senior leader Soumya Ranjan Patnaik got expelled from the party yesterday, today organised a padayatra here to put up a show of unity in the party.

Fearing disciplinary action, all the Congress leaders from various groups joined the rally.

Pradesh Congress Committee chief Jaydev Jena, Union minister of chemical and fertilisers Srikant Jena, former committee president Niranjan Patnaik and other leaders joined the rally.

Jaydev Jena said: “The party will launch a 33-day statewide padayatra, which will begin from Laxmanath of Balasore and culminate at Girisola, covering a distance of 550km. During the journey, the party will highlight the Naveen Patnaik’s failure to utilise central funds and tackle the poverty.”