Bhubaneswar: After Madya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, the BJP sprung another surprise by announcing Keonjhar MLA-elect Mohan Majhi as the chief minister of its first government in Odisha on Tuesday.
The saffron party had kept everybody guessing about Odisha chief minister’s name after pulling off a major upset in the Assembly elections, pocketing 78 of the 147 seats. The party had contested the polls without a chief ministerial candidate under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The PM had, however, announced in public rallies that an Odia man or a woman will be sworn in as chief minister if the BJP comes to power in the state.
Even a week after drawing curtains on Naveen Patnaik’s 24-year rule by defeating the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in the elections, the BJP kept the CM’s name a guarded secret. On Tuesday, the BJP’s legislature party held a meeting in presence of Central observers Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of Environment, Forest and climate Change Bhupendra Yadav and elected Mohan Majhi as its leader and new chief minister of Odisha.
While names of several prominent leaders, including state BJP president Manmohan Samal, newly+elected MLA from Brajrajnagar Suresh Pujari and Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India Girish Chandra Murmu were doing the rounds, Rajanth Singh announced that Majhi was it’s CM pick after the legislature party meeting in the evening.
A prominent tribal leader
Several factors seem to have gone in favour of Majhi for being elected as first BJP CM of Odisha. A strong tribal leader, the four-time MLA has a clean and transparent image to his credit.
Before starting his political career, Majhi was working as Guruji in a Sishu Mandir school. Associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for a long time, he plunged into active politics in 1997 when he was elected as a sarpanch in Keonjhar. He has been elected to the Assembly for four times since 2000.
The tribal leader has served as the BJP whip in the Odisha Assembly and retained the Keonjhar Assembly seat in the just concluded assembly elections, defeating BJD’s Mina Majhi by 11,577 votes.
He has been a bitter critic of BJD government and has targeted the party on several issues and policies inside the Assembly as well as public fora. A leader with a very strong connection to Odisha, he has been vociferous on the matters related to the interests of the state.
Two deputy chief ministers
Besides electing Majhi as chief minister, the BJP legislature party also elected two deputy chief ministers of the new government. Following its tried-and-tested formula in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, Rajnath also named K V Singhdeo and Prabhati Parida as Deputy Chief Ministers of Odisha.
KV, who belongs to the erstwhile royal family of Patnagarh, was elected for the sixth time from the constituency in the 2024 elections. He was a minister of Industry and Public Enterprise during the BJP-BJD coalition government (2000-2009). Having a good reputation in organisation matters, he has also served as state president of the party.
Prabhati Parida brought down BJD’s bastion Nimapara this time after three successive defeats. She was ably supported by the outgoing MLA Samir Das as he switched over to the BJP and campaigned against the BJD.
Prabhati won the seat by 4,588 votes, defeating Dillip Kumar Nayak. Though a first-time MLA, she was given the prestigious post for her loyalty as a senior leader and involvement in party organisation.
Several factors in play
Having won from almost all parts of the state, the BJP seems to have taken all factors into consideration while selecting the chief minister and two deputy CMs.
With Majhi as chief minister, the party has sent a strong message about promoting the tribal communities which account for 24% of the state’s population. Besides, it has made its stand clear about protecting the mining and mineral resources of the state as Majhi represents mineral-trich Keonjhar.
By electing Singhdeo as deputy CM, the saffron party has given prominence to the interests of western Odisha, which has been clamouring for more attention from the government.
At the same time, the election of Prabhati, who belongs to OBC category, as deputy CM aims at satisfying the voters of the coastal region as well as the OBC vote bank.
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