Odisha CM’s ‘Best Administrator’ award brings brisk biz for city petrol bunks. Here’s How

Bhubaneswar: Yes, you read it right. Political barbs over Odisha Chief Minister winning the Outlook Speakout Award-2017 as the best administrator in the country might be flying high, but the CM literally helped the city petrol pumps to rake in moolah, albeit indirectly.

Wondering how? Here is the answer: A massive bike rally was organised by the supporters and activists of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and hundreds of bikes all of a sudden rushed to various filling stations here to fill fuel, to the surprise of petrol pump staff.

The sudden appearance of scores of bikes at petrol pumps caused inconvenience to the general public. Though the unexpected rush of bikes to the filling stations created a scene of chaos, it was brisk business for the pump owners on an otherwise dull Sunday.

“All of a sudden, over a hundred bikes from Vani Vihar Square came to fill fuel in two phases. While some bought fuel for Rs 100, others purchased fuel for more than Rs 200,” said U.K Nayak, manager of Trupti Service Station in Saheed Nagar.

He claimed that they do good business every time there is a political rally. “Barring little inconvenience caused to general public due to crowding, we do good business when there is a political rally as scores of people, especially students come in with their bikes to fill fuel,” Nayak explained.

Apart from many two-wheelers, the party workers and supporters from various parts of the State arrived in the city with a number of four-wheelers to congratulate the CM.

“To be honest, I get an opportunity to fill up my bike full of petrol whenever a rally comes in. There are many others who too follow the same formula,” said a student of Utkal University requesting anonymity who participated in today’s rally.

Thousands of party workers including MLAs and MPs from across the State gathered outside the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) to congratulate Patnaik.

A huge motorcycle rally was organised by party supporters and activists from airport to Naveen Nivas.

The BJD had put up hoardings and banners at various places in the city to welcome the party supremo.