Bhubaneswar: Though two days have passed since the swearing-in ceremony, the BJP government in Odisha is yet to announce the allocation of portfolios among its 16 ministers.
According to party sources, the list is ready and a go-ahead from the central leadership is what they are waiting for before making the announcement. “The decision has been made and the announcement from the Governor office is likely any time soon,” BJP leader Prithiviraj Harichandan told reporters on Friday.
WHY THE DELAY?
Most ministers, who were sworn-in on Wednesday, are first-time MLAs and none of them except deputy CM KV Singhdeo has any previous experience of working as a minister. So, it is difficult to gauge their skill and efficiency. The newcomers also have to be vetted within the team before being given portfolios.
DIFFERENT CAMPS IN BJP!
Naveen Patnaik was the supreme leader in the previous BJD government and allocating portfolios was entirely his prerogative. However, things are not the same in the state BJP. Different influential groups within the saffron party are said to be lobbying for important departments. There were also reports of them interfering in the ministerial list.
TREADING CAUTIOUSLY
The spotlight is on the BJP and people are closely watching every move of its newly-elected government in the state. The party seems to be cautiously treading the path of portfolio allocation to avoid any criticism and prevent the decisions from boomeranging. Which is why it perhaps took almost a week to announce the CM after the assembly election results were declared.
PERCEIVED DISSATISFACTION
Apart from CM Mohan Charan Majhi and his deputies KV and Pravati Parida, eight Cabinet ministers and five state ministers with independent charge took oath. Six more ministers can be inducted as per the 15% of the strength of the Assembly norm prescribed by the Sarkaria Commission.
There have been reports of dissatisfaction among senior leaders, who were left out of the swearing-in. Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra is said to be sulking after being denied a ministerial berth. Koraput MLA Raghu Ram Padal, Ekamra-Bhubaneswar MLA Babu Singh and Mahakalapada MLA Durga Prasanna Nayak, who defeated BJP heavyweight Atanu Sabyasachi, were also hoping to find a place in the council of ministers. Supporters of Laxman Bagh, who defeated Naveen in Kantabanji, seems to be upset over not given a ministerial berth.
While sources indicate that Ranpur MLA Surama Padhy is the frontrunner for the Speaker post, the posts of deputy speaker, party chief whip and deputy whip are also to be filled.
It will be a challenge for Majhi to quell this discontent among the BJP leaders in the state and also ensure that distribution of portfolios does not fan it further. All eyes are now on the BJP top leadership’s decision.