PM Modi Pays Tribute to Biju Patnaik on Birth Anniversary

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid tribute to former Odisha chief minister Biju Patnaik on his birth anniversary, saying he was a dynamic and multi-faceted personality who made an unparalleled contribution towards the state’s progress.

A freedom fighter and a prominent regional satrap who was a key member of anti-Congress alliances for decades, Biju Patnaik served as Odisha chief minister twice. He was also a Union minister.

His son Naveen Patnaik founded the Biju Janata Dal following Biju Patnaik’s death in 1997 and has been the Odisha chief minister since 2000.