PM wishes Naveen Patnaik on birthday, BJD holds blood donation camps

Bhubaneswar, Oct 16 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many other dignitaries on Monday wished Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on his 77th birthday.

"My greetings to Odisha CM Shri Naveen Patnaik Ji on his birthday. May he be blessed with a long and healthy life. @Naveen_Odisha," Modi posted on X.

Patnaik responded to Modi’s message by thanking him for the birthday wishes.

"Thank you Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji for your warm birthday wishes," the Odisha Chief Minister posted on X.

Though Patnaik did not celebrate his birthday as he is still in mourning over his elder sister Gita Mehta's death last month, the ruling Biju Janata Dal organized several events to mark the day by undertaking plantation drive and organizing blood donation camps in different parts of the state.

As Patnaik had requested his well-wishers not to visit his residence 'Naveen Niwas' to greet him on the occasion, none turned up to wish the chief minister. Social media platform like X was flooded with good wishes for the chief minister on the occasion.

"Due to the demise of his elder sister Gita Mehta last month, the chief minister has decided not to celebrate his birthday this year," a communication from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said on Sunday.

Patnaik, the five-time chief minister of the state, did not celebrate his birthday last year as he went to Hyderabad to attend a business meeting. He had not celebrated the day in 2020 during the first wave of the pandemic and again in 2021 with the second wave returning to haunt the state again. PTI BBM AAM RG