This is not exactly a case of what is called "all roads lead" to someplace. In fact, for leaders and cadres of Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal, it is all rail and air routes leading to the national capital from Bhubaneswar and some other major locations in the State.
The rush on Monday and Tuesday was due to instruction given by Naveen Patnaik to assemble in Delhi for the party's Swabhiman Samabesh scheduled on Wednesday.
As the general elections are nearing, Patnaik wanted a big anti-Centre show in the national capital itself. The demand to be aired in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan is that the Congress-led UPA Government end its "step-motherly attitude" towards Odisha and grant Special Category State (SCS) status for it.
While about 15,000 BJD men and women left for Delhi by the seven specially booked trains, CM, other Ministers, MPs and even MlAs took air routes. A senior Congress Member of Parliament had a tough time on Monday as he was asked to pay Rs 43,219 as air fare from Bhubaneswar to Delhi on an Air India flight in business class. He returned back without travelling by paying such a huge amount.
The Bhubaneswar-New Delhi air route was in fact choked due to the BJD Delhi rally ahead. June 10 and 11 were busy travelling days as holidays were coming to end and most people preferred to spend time in tourist spots like Kulu, Manali and Shimla.