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Bhubaneswar, June 12, 2024 (TBB Bureau): Four-time MLA and tribal leader from Keonjhar district, Mohan Charan Majhi, was sworn in as the first BJP Chief Minister of Odisha on Wednesday. The ceremony, held at Janata Maidan, was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union ministers, and chief ministers.
Senior BJP leader and Patnagarh MLA KV Singh Deo, along with debutant Pravati Parida from Nimapara assembly segment, were sworn in as Deputy Chief Ministers. Governor Raghubar Das administered the oath of office and secrecy to 52-year-old Majhi, who belongs to the Santhal community, and other members of his council of ministers.
This marks the first time a BJP government has been established in Odisha, following a decisive victory over the 24-year-old Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government led by Naveen Patnaik.
“It’s a historic day in Odisha! With the blessings of my sisters and brothers of Odisha, @BJP4Odisha is forming its first-ever government in the state. I attended the swearing-in ceremony in Bhubaneswar,” Modi posted on X. “Congratulations to Shri Mohan Charan Majhi on taking oath as CM and to Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo as well as Smt. Pravati Parida on taking oath as Deputy CMs. Congratulations also to the others who took oath as Ministers. With the blessings of Mahaprabhu Jagannath, I am confident this team will usher in record development in Odisha and improve the lives of countless people,” he added.
The ceremony was attended by BJP chief JP Nadda, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Bhupender Yadav, Dharmendra Pradhan, Jual Oram, Ashwini Vaishnaw, and others. Chief ministers from BJP-ruled states, including Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, and Uttarakhand, were also present. Former Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik attended the ceremony as well.
Majhi’s 16-member council of ministers is diverse, featuring four tribals (including Majhi), two Dalits, and one woman. The council includes two Deputy Chief Ministers, eight Cabinet Ministers, and five Ministers of State (Independent Charge).
Suresh Pujari, Rabinarayan Naik, Nityananda Gond, Krushna Chandra Patra, Prithiviraj Harichandan, Mukesh Mahaling, Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, and Krushna Chandra Mohapatra took oath as Cabinet Ministers. Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, Suryabanshi Suraj, Pradeep Balasananta, Gokula Nanda Mallick, and Sampad Kumar Swain were sworn in as Ministers of State (Independent).
Of the 78 BJP members elected to the Assembly, only five are women. Sources suggest that Surama Padhy, elected from Ranpur in Nayagarh district, is expected to become the Speaker of the 17th Odisha Legislative Assembly.
The ministers come from various regions across the state: four from the western region, three (including the Chief Minister) from the northern region, four from the coastal belt, three from the southern region, and one from central Odisha.
The BJP secured a clear mandate in Odisha for the first time, ending the 24-year rule of the BJD. The party won 78 seats in the 147-member Assembly, while the BJD secured 51 seats. The Congress won 14 seats, CPI (M) one seat, and Independents three seats.
