Though people plunged into celebrations since Friday night, lakhs of devotees on Saturday thronged the pilgrim city to lay pious foundation to start the fresh year. Besides this, people also descended at the Chandrabhaga beach near Konark to witness the enchanting beauty of sunrise.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik too visited the Lord Jagannath temple here to pay obeisance and seek Lord’s blessings on the New Year’s Day.
For chief minister’s visit, adequate security measures were taken for smooth darshan of the three presiding deities. Foot fall at the 12th century shrine today multiplied by huge numbers as the day progressed.
Earlier in the day, ruling BJD ministers, members, partymen, bureaucrats, freedom fighters, trade union leaders and well wishers made a beeline to the Naveen Niwas near Airport Square in the state capital to convey New Year greetings to chief minister.
Naveen also sent message to the people of the state on New Year Day.
“All best wishes to the people of our state for peace, progress and prosperity,” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in his message.
Similarly, people from different walks of life also visited BJD MP Pyarimohan Mohaptra’s residence at Sahid Nagar in Bhubaneswar. Party members, bureaucrats and friends turned up at BJD chief strategist’s residence to exchange New Year greetings.
“From January 17 to February 14, we would launch Parivar Sampark Abhiyan to get closer to people and we are preparing the roadmap for it. There is no infighting within the party. If at all there was any, they have been left behind with the passing year,” BJP MP Pyarimohan Mohapatra said.
On the other hand, similar scenes were witnessed at Opposition BJP and Congress members’ houses. People went to with their leaders on the occasion of New Year’s Eve.
“The new year as per English calendar would be a happening one for BJP. We will fight for the rights of people of our state and will march forward taking all the members in confidence,” BJP leader Jual Oram said.
“It will be a tough year ahead. We would try our best to infuse life into the party and revive it,” Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra said.
At state secretariat, the pen pushers took out some time of their usual schedule to exchange greetings with their colleagues. The secretariat was flooded with bouquets and greeting cards.
Earlier during the day, former Union Minister and RJD supreme Lalu Prasad Yadav too turned up here to have a darshan of the deities. Yadav accompanied by his bodyguards were escorted to the temple for darshan. The former Bihar chief minister had to move under the cover of unarmed security personnel as weapons are not allowed inside the temple.