BJP's Mohan Charan Majhi to be next Odisha chief minister, KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida deputy CMs
Mohan Charan Majhi won the Keonjhar assembly seat in the just concluded Odisha assembly elections, defeating Biju Janata Dal's Mina Majhi by 11,577 votes
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday picked four-time MLA Mohan Charan Majhi as the new chief minister of Odisha. KV Singhdeo and Pravati Parida have been named as his deputies.
Majhi was announced as the leader of the BJP's legislature party by defence minister Rajnath Singh.
Mohan Charan Majhi won the Keonjhar assembly seat in the just concluded Odisha assembly elections, defeating Biju Janata Dal's Mina Majhi by 11,577 votes.
Mohan Charan Majhi's name was announced days after the BJP trounced Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal by winning 78 out of 147 seats in the Odisha assembly.
The BJP, all set to form its maiden government in Odisha, has invited BJD president and outgoing chief minister Naveen Patnaik for the swearing-in ceremony scheduled on June 12.
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Preparations are in the final stage at the Janata Maidan park, the venue for the oath-taking ceremony. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, central ministers and chief ministers of many BJP-ruled states are likely to attend it.
The Odisha government has already declared that all the state government offices and courts in state capital Bhubaneswar will shut after 1 pm on Wednesday due to the swearing-in of new chief minister and the cabinet.
As per a notification issued by the revenue and disaster management department, the order will apply to all state government offices and revenue and magisterial courts (executive) within the jurisdiction of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC).
According to a PTI report, the new government will be sworn in on June 12 at 5 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive at the state capital at 2:30 pm and proceed to Raj Bhavan from the airport. He will later attend the oath-taking ceremony at Janata Maidan at 5 pm.
The Odisha unit of the BJP has urged people to observe June 12 like Diwali by lighting at least two diyas (lamps) - one for the central government and another for the state government.
(With agency inputs)
