Pradhan and Oram inductions throw open Odisha CM race | Bhubaneswar News
BHUBANESWAR: The field of contenders for the Odisha chief ministership narrowed down Sunday to Brajarajnagar MLA Suresh Pujari and three potential alternatives after the duo thought to have the strongest CVs—Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram—were inducted into PM Modi’s new Cabinet.
The emergence of a new frontrunner in Pujari coincided with BJP moving the swearing-in from Monday to June 12, apparently to ensure a consensus on who should lead its first govt in the state.The reason officially cited by BJP for delaying the event was the PM’sofficial engagements.
Pujari faces competition from BJP’s state president Manmohan Samal despite the latter losing the assembly election in Chandabali. Two-time MLA Mukesh Mahaling and four-time legislator Rabi Naik are also in the race. Samal is from northern Odisha while the other two are from western Odisha, considered BJP’s stronghold.
Pujari represented Bargarh in LS from 2019 until this election. A lawyer by training, the 64-year-old was BJP’s state president from 2006 to 2009 and is credited with significantly enhancing the party’s reach in the region during that period.
Samal, 65, an OBC face, is seen as a contender because BJP unseated BJD under his stewardship. His supporters draw a parallel with Uttarakhand, where Pushkar Singh Dhami was given the CM’s job despite losing his assembly contest.
Mahaling, 51, an SC representative with moorings in RSS, voluntarily retired as a scientist of the state pollution control board in 2019 to contest the assembly poll. He secured a second term from Loisingha, also in western Odisha.
If Mahaling gets the top post, he will make history by being the first SC to become CM of a state where over 17% of the population is from that community.
If Kuchinda’s tribal MLA Naik, 55, makes the cut, he will be a surprise pick. Besides four terms as a legislator, he has been president of BJP’s state ST Morcha.
The emergence of a new frontrunner in Pujari coincided with BJP moving the swearing-in from Monday to June 12, apparently to ensure a consensus on who should lead its first govt in the state.The reason officially cited by BJP for delaying the event was the PM’sofficial engagements.
Pujari faces competition from BJP’s state president Manmohan Samal despite the latter losing the assembly election in Chandabali. Two-time MLA Mukesh Mahaling and four-time legislator Rabi Naik are also in the race. Samal is from northern Odisha while the other two are from western Odisha, considered BJP’s stronghold.
Pujari represented Bargarh in LS from 2019 until this election. A lawyer by training, the 64-year-old was BJP’s state president from 2006 to 2009 and is credited with significantly enhancing the party’s reach in the region during that period.
Samal, 65, an OBC face, is seen as a contender because BJP unseated BJD under his stewardship. His supporters draw a parallel with Uttarakhand, where Pushkar Singh Dhami was given the CM’s job despite losing his assembly contest.
Mahaling, 51, an SC representative with moorings in RSS, voluntarily retired as a scientist of the state pollution control board in 2019 to contest the assembly poll. He secured a second term from Loisingha, also in western Odisha.
If Mahaling gets the top post, he will make history by being the first SC to become CM of a state where over 17% of the population is from that community.
If Kuchinda’s tribal MLA Naik, 55, makes the cut, he will be a surprise pick. Besides four terms as a legislator, he has been president of BJP’s state ST Morcha.
