Outgoing Odisha Governor Raghubar Das Visits Puri, Says BJP To Decide His Future Role

Puri: A day after stepping down as Odisha Governor, Raghubar Das on Wednesday visited Shree Jagannath Temple in pilgrim town of Puri for darshan of the sibling deities.

Speaking to the media, Das said that he consider himself lucky to have got an opportunity to serve Odisha. “I salute the passion of the people of the state and I am sure that Odisha will become a developed state by its centenary year in 2036 with the blessings of Lord Jagannath,” he said.

He further stated that the double-engine government in Odisha under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been working for the development of the poor.

Reacting to speculation about his return to active politics, Das said that the party’s central leadership will take a call on his future role. “I come from a labour family and took membership of the BJP in 1980. I have served in different roles starting from president of booth-level committee, to Mandal, state and national level. I also got the opportunity to serve the people of Jharkhand. So, our party will decide about my future role,” he said, highlighting his journey from a working-class background to top leadership positions.

Das was appointed as Governor of Odisha on October 18, 2023.

On Tuesday, President Droupadi Murmu appointed Hari Babu Kambhampati, the current Governor of Mizoram, as the new governor of Odisha following Das’ resignation.

There have been speculation that he might return to Jharkhand BJP to rejuvenate the state unit after its humiliating defeat in the assembly elections. Das was also reportedly vying to contest from his old seat Jamshedpur East in the recently held Assembly elections, but to some unknown reasons the idea was postponed and his daughter-in-law was fielded from there.

During his around 14 months stay in Odisha, he faced opposition hear after a government employee accused this son, Lalit, of assaulting him for not sending a vehicle to pick him up from the Puri railway station.