June 17th 2024.
Bhubaneswar: A significant development is expected to take place in the political landscape of Odisha as the regional party, BJD, is all set to hold its first legislature party meeting on Wednesday. Speculations are rife that the party president and former Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, may be appointed as the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly. This would be a first for Patnaik, who has been in the political arena since 1997.
Having served as the Chief Minister of Odisha for five consecutive terms from 2000 to June 2024, Patnaik's potential new role as LoP has garnered a lot of attention. Sources within the party have revealed that if Patnaik does take on this responsibility, the party may elect a deputy leader to assist with the day-to-day activities in the Assembly.
With a total of 147 members in the Assembly, the BJP currently holds the majority with 78 seats, followed by BJD with 51, Congress with 3, and 3 independents. In the previous Assembly, BJD had a significant lead with 113 MLAs. However, due to the recent rise of the saffron party, many senior leaders within BJD lost their seats in the elections, while a few managed to retain them.
As per inside sources, it is highly likely that Patnaik will be unanimously elected as the LoP, and a senior leader from the party will be appointed as his deputy in the House. Despite the party's loss in the elections, senior leaders such as Prasanna Acharya, Ranendra Pratap Swain, Arun Sahu, and Pratap Deb were able to secure their seats from Rairakhol, Athagarh, Nayagarh, and Aul respectively.
According to a senior party leader, one of these four leaders is expected to be chosen as the BJD's deputy leader in the House. However, due to his seniority and experience, Acharya is likely to be the front runner for this position. The party is gearing up to make its presence felt in the Assembly despite the saffron surge and is determined to fulfill its duties as the opposition party.
PTI.
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