Swearing-in ceremony for first BJP government in Odisha rescheduled
The swearing-in ceremony for the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Odisha has been postponed from June 10 to June 12. This change was confirmed by party leaders Jatin Mohanty and Vijaypal Singh Tomar on Sunday. The rescheduling is due to Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi's commitments, including his own swearing-in ceremony and a meeting with party MPs in the coming days.
First legislature party meeting and chief minister speculations
The first legislature party meeting of the newly elected members is now scheduled for June 11. At present, the identity of the new chief minister remains uncertain, with senior BJP leader and newly elected MLA Suresh Pujari being speculated as a main contender. Pujari's recent trip to New Delhi has fueled these speculations. However, Odisha party unit president Manmohan Samal urged reporters to wait for two more days for a clear picture to emerge.
BJP's victory and preparations for oath-taking ceremony
The BJP secured a comfortable majority in the 147-member Assembly, winning 78 seats. The party contested the elections under PM Modi's leadership without naming a chief ministerial candidate. Nonetheless, preparations are underway to organize the oath-taking ceremony at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar. The final decision on the chief minister will be taken by the parliamentary board of the BJP at its meeting, as stated by Samal after his return from New Delhi.
Suresh Pujari: A potential contender for Chief Minister
Other than Samal, senior BJP leader and newly elected MLA, Suresh Pujari, is speculated to be among the main contenders for the chief minister's post. Pujari was elected to the Lok Sabha from Bargarh in 2019 and won the recent election from Brajarajnagar assembly constituency. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, bureaucrat-turned-politician Aparajita Sarangi, former central minister Pratap Sarangi, and BJP national vice president Baijayant (Jay) Panda's names are also being speculated as possible options.
