Bhubaneswar: Amid huge backlash Odisha Government received from the opposition over its decision to delink Biju Patnaik's birth anniversary from Panchayatiraj day, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi invited Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik for a state-level meeting to mark birthday of the legendary leader. 

The state governmnet is all set to celebrate the birth anniversary of great visionary and stalwart Biju Patnaik birth anniversary in a grand manner on March 5. Majhi invited his predecessor Naveen Patnaik, who is the son of the great leader, requesting him to grace the occassion at 7 pm tomorrow at Jayadev Bhawan in Bhubaneswar as the chief guest. 

Meanwhile, Mohan Majhi government has cancelled March 5 as the public holiday, annoucing that the birth anniversary of the former Chief Minister late Biju Patnaik will not be celebrated as the Panchayatiraj Diwas. 

The oppoistion BJD strongly criticised the BJP government citing the move 'a great insult to people of Odisha'. 

"The BJP is afraid of Biju Patnaik's name and that's why it made a cheap conspiracy to hide the great leader's existence," said BJD leader Pramila Mallick. 

This is unfair to change the date of Panchayatiraj Diwas, which is celebrated on Biju Patnaik's birthday on March 5 every year. This is insult to both Biju Patnaik and people of Odisha, she said.