BJP Picks Its First CM For Odisha, Names 2 Deputy CMs

Bhubaneswar: Mohan Majhi, the MLA-elect from Keonjhar, will be the chief minister of the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Odisha.

Majhi, a four-time MLA, was announced as the leader of the BJP’s legislature party by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh following the BJP legislature party meeting here on Tuesday. The tribal leader had earlier served as the BJP whip in the Odisha Assembly and retained the Keonjhar assembly seat in the just concluded assembly elections, defeating Biju Janata Dal’s Mina Majhi by 11,577 votes.

Following its tried-and-tested formula in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, Rajnath also named K V Singhdeo and Pravati Parida as Deputy Chief Ministers of Odisha.

KV, who belongs to the erstwhile royal family of Patnagarh, was elected for the sixth time from Patnagarh constituency. He had earlier served as a minister of Industry and Public Enterprise during the BJP-BJD coalition government (2000-2009).

After 3 successive defeats, Pravati Parida made a dent in BJD bastion Nimapara with the sitting MLA Samir Das switching over to the saffron fold and won the seat by 4,588 votes, defeating Dillip Kumar Nayak.

The announcement comes a week after the BJP stormed to power in the state on its own for the first time by securing 78 of 147 Assembly seats, bringing the curtain down on 24-year rule of Naveen Patnaik-led BJD.

The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Janata Maidan here at 4.45 pm on June 12 and will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, central ministers and several CMs of BJP-led states.