Bhubaneswar: A minor reshuffle among the Ministers of Odisha has been confirmed and the new ministers will to take oath on Monday.
According to very reliable sources, President of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will change the portfolios of some ministers and at least three new minister will take oath at 9.30 AM on May 22.
The buzz over the change of Minister grew as Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, who was outside the state, is returning to Bhubaneswar tomorrow.
It is to be noted here that Assembly speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha, School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Das and Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Employees State Insurance Minister Srikanta Sahu have tendered their resignation.
Revenue and Disaster Management Department Pramila Mallick has been allocated the additional charge of the School & Mass Education and Labour Departments.
Likewise, Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari has been given the additional charge of the Health Department after the murder of Naba Das.
Therefore, now it is said that three MLAs will get the Ministers’ posts while a senior legislator will be appointed as the speaker of the house.
After the resignation of Polasara MLA Srikanta Sahu from his minister post, discussion are going on that BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik may give a Minister post to one of the MLAs from the south Odisha. Bikram Keshari Arukha is expected to get it. However, Kabisuryanagar MLA Latika Pradhan and Berhampur MLA Bikram Panda are in the race.
On the other hand, slain Naba Das from the Western Odisha was the Health Minister and as the State ruling party has been winning the by-elections in the Western Odisha, it is assumed that the BJD president may reward one of the MLAs of the Western Odisha. Buzz is also underway that Naba’s daughter Deepali Das, who got a historic win, may be given one of the fortpolios.
As Naveen Patnaik is giving priority to the women, Deepali Das and Latika Pradhan are likely to get the minister posts.
On the other hand, Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari is in the front of the race for the State assembly speaker’s post. Earlier, he was the speaker of the house between 2014 and 2017. However, if the seniority of the MLA is considered, MLAs Debi Prasad Mishra and Amar Prasad Satpathy are the strong contenders.
