Hoarding, banners, and posters have already been put up at hundreds of places across Odisha. The ruling Biju Janata Dal, the State Government and many social and non-government organisations in the State are all set to celebrate Biju Patnaik’s birth centenary year from March 5.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who would complete 16 years in office that day, is also leaving no stone unturned to keep his father Biju Patnaik’s legacy alive by repeating his same old assurance of building a prosperous Odisha that the late leader dreamt of.

Mr. Patnaik, who was elected president of the party named after his late father for the seventh consecutive term a few days ago, is scheduled to inaugurate the year-long Biju Patnaik’s birth centenary celebrations on March 5 at a rally being organised by the Biju Patnaik Birth Centenary Committee in which BJD leaders are office-bearers.

It was on the occasion of Biju Patnaik’s birth anniversary on March 5 in the year 2000 that Mr. Patnaik had started his stint as Chief Minister for the first time. Since then his party has not failed to win any Assembly poll.

Mr. Patnaik has already announced that the celebration of his father’s birth centenary would coincide with the celebration of the 80{+t}{+h}foundation year of Odisha, and beginning of preparations for celebration of the State’s centenary in 2036. Odisha had come into existence on linguistic basis in 1936.

The Chief Minister, with his sights set beyond 2019, has also announced that his government would start preparing a vision document titled Odisha@100 from this year to achieve all-round development of the State by 2036.

The very naming of the BJD after his father’s first name has turned out to be his best tool to strengthen his vote bank while announcing populist measures from time to time. Over a dozen welfare schemes have so far been named after Biju Patnaik, apart from installation of numerous statues, and naming of many awards, prizes, and institutions after the late leader.

Even though Biju Patnaik made his presence felt in Odisha politics and became Chief Minister for the first time in 1961 when he was in Congress, the BJD has been projecting him as the only leader who had dreamt of a prosperous Odisha since it was founded in December, 1997.

It may be recalled that Biju Patnaik’s birth anniversary is also observed in Odisha as Panchayati Raj Divas, a holiday in the State in his memory.

By celebrating Biju Patnaik’s birth centenary throughout the year across the State and places having sizeable Odia population outside, Mr. Patnaik and his men are aiming to further strengthen their party’s base ahead of the panchayat polls next year, urban body polls in 2018 and next Assembly elections in 2019.