Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to organise 'Swabhiman' rally in Delhi on June 12

BHUBANESWAR: Encouraged by his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar's 'Adhikar' rally demanding special category state status, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will organise a 'Swabhiman' rally in New Delhi on June 12.

"We will hold a Swabhimaan rally in New Delhi on June 12 to intensify Odisha's demand for special category status," BJD Vice-President and Panchayati Raj minister Kalpataru Das said.

The rally will mark the culmination of the ruling BJD's months long campaign launched on April 28 for special category state status.

The BJD president is likely to address the rally. The BJD's move came after Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia recently rejected the state's demand, saying Odisha did not qualify for such a tag.