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Odisha: 10 ministers resign ahead of Naveen Patnaik ministry reshuffle
Their resignations came a day after Niranjan Pujari resigned as Odisha Assembly Speaker.
As many as 10 of the 20 ministers in three-year-old Naveen Patnaik cabinet resigned on Saturday evening paving way for a reshuffle on Sunday in which 11 new ministers are expected to be inducted.
Their resignations came a day after Niranjan Pujari resigned as Odisha assembly speaker.
The ministers who resigned include Sanjay Dasburma, Arun Kumar Sahoo, Pushpendra Singhdeo, Pranab Prakash Das, Sudam Marndi, Pradeep Panigrahi and Debi Prasad Mishra. Another minister, Lal Behari Himirika, is also said to have resigned.
The ministers who resigned on Saturday were appointed as party observers for different districts on Friday night, a release issued by the BJD said.
Sanjay Dasburma was made a general secretary (youth affairs)and put in charge of two tribal dominated districts like Nabarangpur and Rayagada.
Similarly, Arun Sahoo was made a general secretary (students affairs) and was made the observer of tribal dominated Mayurbhanj district.
Patnaik’s close confidant Pranab Prakash Das was also made a general secretary and put in charge of tribal dominated Malkangiri and Koraput districts.
Pradeep Panigrahi, a general secretary, has been put in charge of Gajapati district.
Debi Prasad Mishra was elevated to the post of vice president from the rank of a general secretary. He was also appointed as the observer for Sambalpur district, considered as a strong hold of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
“I am grateful to those ministers who resigned voluntarily to work for the party,” Patnaik said.
