President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are slated to jointly attend the second anniversary celebrations of the BJP government in Odisha. A grand event has been planned at Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district, the President’s hometown, on June 20.

 

The choice of Rairangpur as the venue marks a departure from the usual practice of hosting such government anniversary events in the state capital. By taking the celebrations to a tribal hinterland, the BJP government appears keen to send a strong political message about its commitment to tribal communities and regional development.

 

The proposed event gains further prominence as, for the first time in Odisha’s political history, both the President and the Prime Minister are expected to participate in a state government’s anniversary celebrations. This will be the eighth visit of the Prime Minister to the state in the last two years.

 
 

According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the President and the Prime Minister have agreed to attend the event to be organised in Rairangpur on the occasion of the second anniversary of the government.

 

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi chaired a high-level meeting on Tuesday to review preparations for the event. Stressing that every aspect of the programme must be executed flawlessly given the presence of the President and the Prime Minister, he directed officials to make elaborate arrangements for security, public amenities, traffic management, and parking facilities.

 

“The President and the Prime Minister will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for many important projects on this occasion. A detailed itinerary is being finalised,” the CMO said.

 

The event seems to be politically significant, extending beyond Odisha and carrying strategic implications for the BJP’s tribal outreach in eastern India, particularly in neighbouring Jharkhand and West Bengal.

 

The choice of Rairangpur, a predominantly tribal area in northern Odisha bordering Jharkhand and lying in proximity to West Bengal, adds a wider regional dimension to the programme.

 

Political observers said Mayurbhanj shares deep socio-cultural and ethnic linkages with the tribal belts of Jharkhand and the Jangalmahal region of West Bengal. Communities such as the Santhals have a significant presence across all three states.

 

“The timing of the programme is equally significant. Jharkhand is expected to remain a key political battleground for the BJP, while the saffron party aims to remain in power for a long time in West Bengal and Odisha. The Rairangpur event is likely to serve as a platform for the BJP to underline welfare initiatives, infrastructure development, and representation of tribal communities,” they said.

 

The Odisha government is likely to use the occasion to showcase achievements recorded during its two-year tenure and present its roadmap for future growth. A number of new programmes are also likely to be unveiled. Modi is scheduled to visit Kolkata on June 21, where he will lead the national-level celebrations of the International Day of Yoga.

 

Lok Sabha MP from Mayurbhanj Naba Charan Majhi said the President is expected to arrive in Rairangpur on June 19, while the Prime Minister will join the celebrations the following day. He described the programme as a landmark event, stating that it would be the first occasion on which both the President and the Prime Minister would jointly attend a public function in Rairangpur.

 

With nearly 80 per cent of the region’s population belonging to tribal communities, Mayurbhanj has increasingly become a focal point of the BJP’s tribal development narrative. Highlighting the broader significance of the visit, Majhi said Rairangpur remains closely associated with the President’s personal and political journey and has emerged as a symbol of tribal aspirations.

 

“Among several projects, a newly constructed sports stadium in Rairangpur will be inaugurated. Several developmental projects are also expected to be launched or dedicated to the public in Rairangpur and Pahadpur, the President’s village,” he told mediapersons.