Chief minister Naveen Patnaik flanked with Fans, Well wishers and BJD party members on his 69th birth anniversary at Naveen niwaas in Bhubaneswar on Friday.

By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, October 16, 2015 : Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik on Friday celebrated his 70th birthday both with bouquets and brickbats

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted Patnaik by twitting, “On Naveen Patnaikji’s birthday, I extend my greetings and pray for his long and healthy life,” Modi tweeted.

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) also greeted the Chief Minister while ministers, MLAs, BJD functionaries and government officials including Director General of Police Sanjeev Marik made beeline here with flower bouquets to wish Patnaik.

The student wing of the ruling party held a procession from the BJD office till the resident of the chief minister. Hundreds of students from nook and corner of the state participated in the birthday rally.

However, the rally was marred when a gas balloon got burst after coming in contact with a splinter from a cracker near Naveen’s residence. At least 11 college students, nine of them girls sustained burn injuries.

“The students have sustained superficial burns on their foreheads, hands and other exposed parts of body.” Capital Hospital superintendent Binod Mishra briefing newsmen said.

Opposition Congress and the BJP came down heavily on the chief minister for celebrating his 70th birthday with much fanfare when the farmers were committing suicide and the state was reeling underacute drought situation.

BJP state President K V Singh Deo said the Chief Minister did not celebrate his birthday while the cyclonic storm Hud Hud and Phailin hit the state but is observing the birthday when the state is reeling under acute drought situation and about 60 farmers have already committed suicide.

The chief minister had, however, skipped birthday celebration for last two years in view of devastation caused by the cyclones-Phailin in 2013 and cyclone Hudhud in 2014.