Outgoing Governor Raghubar Das Leaves Odisha; Destination Next Jharkhand Or National Politics?

Bhubaneswar: Outgoing Governor Raghubar Das bid goodbye to Odisha on Thursday after 14-month stay in the state.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Odisha Assembly Speaker Smt Surama Padhi were present at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar to see him off.

Das was appointed as Governor of Odisha on October 18, 2023. His resignation from the post was accepted by President Droupadi Murmu on December 24. The official statement from the Raj Bhavan on December 25 cited “personal reasons” for his decision to step down from the post.

However, there was speculation about him quitting the gubernatorial post, which it was said he took up reluctantly, and returning to active politics ahead of the Jharkhand Assembly elections. It was widely believed that he would contest from his old seat Jamshedpur East, but to some unknown reasons the idea was postponed and his daughter-in-law was fielded from there.

While Das’ appointment as Governor of Odisha in 2023 was then seen as an endorsement of Babulal Marandi as the primary leader in Jhakhand by the BJP central leadership, his exit suggest a strategic recalibration by the saffron party after the electoral setback to JMM in the recent polls.

While Das, during a media interaction, said that the central leadership will decided about his future role, BJP insiders said that he would rejoin the party as a primary member on December 27 in Ranchi after which he could be accorded important responsibilities in Jharkhand. There is speculation that the central leadership might utilise Das’ organisational expertise as president of Jharkhand BJP with the party focussing on strengthening its presence in states where it faces strong regional parties. 

Das’ daughter-in-law, Purnima Sahu, a first-time MLA from Jamshedpur East, has also said she would quit the seat to pave the way for the return of his father-in-law to politics.

However, some others suggested that the OBC leader might also be considered for the post of the party’s national president.