Bhubaneswar: Putting all speculation on full stop, BJD Supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday picked three senior BJD leaders and former Ministers for their re-induction in his Cabinet.
According to sources, the Chief Minister Shri Patnaik has selected Bikram Keshari Arukha, Sarada Prasad Nayak and Sudam Marndi for their induction in the Cabinet.
As all the three senior legislators will take oath on 22 May, 9.50 AM at the Convention Centre in Lok Sabha Bhawan, phone calls have been made to the three veteran leaders to remain present at the Swearing-in Ceremony, the sources said.
However, who will be the next Speaker of the State Assembly has not yet been cleared.
Notably, Assembly Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha along with two controversial Ministers Samir Ranjan Dash (School and Mass Education) and Srikanta Sahu (Labour and Employees’ State Insurance) resigned from their positions on May 12. Besides, the then Health Minister Naba Kishore Das was murdered on January 29 this year, creating another vacancy in the Cabinet.
The Odisha Council of Ministers can have 22 Ministers including the Chief Minister but now has 19 Ministers. So, three Ministers will take oath tomorrow.
According to sources, the Chief Minister may also make changes in the portfolios of some Ministers after the Swearing-in-Ceremony event. The BJD Government has all set to face the next Assembly and Lok Sabha polls with the new team of Ministers.
The probable names for Speaker’s posts making the rounds are: Prafulla Samal, Debi Prasad Mishra, Amar Prasad Satpathy and Badri Narayan Patra.
Chief Minister Shri Patnaik had effected a complete reshuffle of his Cabinet last time in June 2022. So, another reshuffle will be conducted on Monday morning. Meanwhile, Governor Prof. Ganeshi Lal has reached Bhubaneswar this evening.