PM Modi pays tributes to Biju Patnaik on his birth anniversary

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid tributes to late Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik on his 98th birth anniversary, saying he was an "outstanding personality" whose contribution to the state and the country will always be remembered.

"Remembering Biju Babu on his birth anniversary. An outstanding personality, his contribution to Odisha & India will always be remembered," he tweeted. Biju Patnaik, father of current Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, was born in 1916 and passed away in 1997.

He was a two-time Chief Minister of Odisha. He also served as a union minister in the Morarji Desai government from 1977 to 1980.

Modi also wished Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan on his birthday today. "My greetings to popular leader of Madhya Pradesh and my friend Shivraj ji on his birthday. I pray for his good health and long life," the Prime Minister said in another tweet.