Naveen Patnaik Embodies True Spirit of Father Biju Patnaik by Forgoing Salary Hike for Welfare of Poor

Bhubaneswar, December 13, 2025: In a poignant gesture of selfless public service, Leader of Opposition and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik has announced his decision to forgo the recently hiked salary and allowances for his position, urging the Odisha government to redirect the funds towards the welfare of the state's poor and underprivileged.
In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi dated December 13, 2025, the former five-term Chief Minister expressed profound gratitude to the people of Odisha for their unwavering support over more than 25 years. "I have been blessed by the love, affection and support of the people of Odisha for the past more than 25 years. I am highly indebted to the people of Odisha and their love towards me and my late father Biju Patnaik," Patnaik wrote.
Drawing a direct parallel to his family's legacy of sacrifice, he referenced the 2015 decision to donate the ancestral property 'Anand Bhawan' in Cuttack for public use. "In the same spirit," Patnaik stated, "I would like to forgo the salary and allowances hiked for Leader of Opposition which the Odisha Legislative Assembly has recently passed."
The Odisha Assembly had approved a significant salary increase on December 9, raising the monthly package for the Leader of Opposition to approximately ₹3.62 lakh. Patnaik requested that the relinquished amount be utilised for programmes aimed at uplifting the poor.
This move echoes the legendary austerity of his father, the iconic Biju Patnaik—a freedom fighter, aviator, and two-time Chief Minister—who, during his second term from 1990 to 1995, drew only ₹1 as monthly salary and allowances from the state exchequer.
Political observers see Patnaik's decision as a powerful reaffirmation of the "true spirit" of Biju Patnaik: prioritizing public welfare over personal gain. Amid debates over the legislators' pay hike, the gesture underscores a commitment to humility and service that has defined the Patnaik family's contributions to Odisha.
The Chief Minister's office has yet to respond officially, but the letter has sparked widespread admiration, reinforcing Naveen Patnaik's enduring legacy as a leader dedicated to the people of Odisha.