Delhi CM Rekha Gupta on Saturday took a visit to the ancient Puri Jagannath Temple in Odisha during which she presented her prayers before the Lord there. It was her maiden Puri visit ever since she got appointed as the Delhi CM. She was attended by Puri Lok Sabha representative and BJP representative Dr. Sambit Patra and Law Minister of Odisha Prithviraj Harichandan.
She arrived at Jagannath Temple at 7:27 am and took darshan of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. And after offering the prayer, he informed the media, "I am extremely lucky that I was able to visit Puri Jagannath Dham for the first time after assuming the charge as the Chief Minister of Delhi. On this auspicious day of Amavasya, I offered prayers to Mahaprabhu that the journey we are attempting to take Delhi and the whole nation ahead on the path of progress under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi should always remain smooth and radiant. With the blessings of Mahaprabhu, we all began working together to develop a better Delhi."
He also stated that the Odia people residing in Delhi are contributing significantly towards the development of the capital city and the Delhi government will never ever neglect them. The Chief Minister assured that the Delhi government will work day and night for the betterment of the Odia people. He sent his greetings in advance and stated, "I send my greetings on the joyous occasion of Utkal Diwas to all the Odia families residing in Delhi. We will celebrate Odisha Diwas with splendor in Delhi."
In view of the political scenario of Delhi, this historical triumph of the BJP in the just-concluded assembly elections assumes special importance. The BJP won 48 out of 70 seats and returned to power in Delhi after 27 consecutive years. With this victory, Rekha Gupta took oath as the fourth woman Chief Minister in the history of Delhi. On the other hand, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won only 22 seats and the Congress failed to win a single seat for the third time in a row.
When in Puri on the visit, the Chief Minister revealed her additional sense of accountability towards the people of Odia, apart from the development of Delhi. The Chief Minister spoke, "The Odia living in Delhi is a part and parcel of our society. They are contributing towards the prosperity of Delhi by keeping themselves busy working. I wish to assure them that the government of Delhi shall remain with them and work incessantly for their uplift."
A day prior to this visit, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also paid a visit to the Jagannath Temple in Puri. Recalling his experience of visiting the temple, he stated, "The darshan of Lord Jagannath always provides a different kind of feeling. I feel fresh strength when I visit here. I always get inspired by the blessings of the Lord."
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's visit and her declaration evidently indicate that she is serious about the overall development of Delhi along with the inhabitants of various languages and cultures residing there. The declaration to celebrate Utkal Diwas in Delhi in a manner respectful of Odisha traditions is an indication of her inclusive policy.
