Biju Janata Dal decides to hold congregation for 12 days to celebrate Nuakhai festival

The ruling Biju Janata Dal Monday decided to hold a congregation of people for 12 days from September 20 to celebrate the Nuakhai festival in Western Odisha. This was revealed by BJD MP from Bolangir Kalikesh Singhdeo.

"All political leaders in the region used to organize 'Bhet Ghat' (meeting or congregation) on the occasion. The BJD will also hold such congregation," Singhdeo said.

He said the festival would be observed from September 20 till October 2. Nuakhai is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of Western Odisha.

It is observed to welcome the new rice of the season. Sources in the party said that the "Bhet Ghat" will be organized in all the 34 assembly segments located in the western districts of Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Sundargarh, Sonepur, Boudh and Nuapada in the western region.

During the 'Bhet Ghat', mass feast and musical programmes are held in the nook and corner of the western region. This time, the lagna (moment) for celebrating western Nuakhai was fixed for September 14. With BJD planning celebration of the Nuakhai festival, opposition BJP has strongly condemned the move.

"Why the ruling party was not celebrating the festival earlier. This time keeping an eye on the next elections and realizing that the regional party's base had eroded in the region, the BJD planned made such a move," alleged BJP MLA Pradip Purohit, who hails from Western Odisha.

Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress, who hails from Bolangir in western Odisha, said: "This is good for all to celebrate the festival. But, observing the festival targeting elections is not acceptable."

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)