Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of different political parties to his swearing-in ceremony scheduled to be held here on Wednesday, party sources said on Monday.
Patnaik will take oath as the chief minister for fifth time in a row at 10.30 am on Wednesday.
"A special message has been sent to Delhi to invite the Prime Minister for the swearing-in ceremony of the new government in Odisha," sources in the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) said.
Invitations have also been sent to leaders of different political parties in the state. However, the invite to the prime minister is significant as Patnaik had during election campaign given an open invitation to Modi.
Patnaik at an election meeting at Basta under Balasore Lok Sabha constituency had invited Modi to his swearing-in, after Modi in a public meeting announced that he would again visit Odisha to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the next BJP government in the State. Modi had also predicted that Patnaik's Government will be out of power after the May 23 poll result announcement. In his reply, Patnaik had said, "BJD has already secured majority in the Assembly by the end of the third-phase of polling. I humbly invite him (Modi) to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new BJD Government."
