Odisha Elections News Updates

A large number of dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Rajnath Singh and Chief Ministers of several states including Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma attended the ceremony.

Mohan Charan Majhi, a BJP leader, has been appointed as the third tribal Chief Minister of Odisha, following predecessors Giridhar Gamang and Hemananda Biswal from the Congress party. Majhi's appointment comes after BJP's significant victory over BJD, which held power for 24 years.

Senior party leader Mohan Majhi will be BJP's first Chief Minister in the State. The decision was taken by central observers Rajnath Singh and Bhupender Yadav. The saffron party had appointed both the Union Ministers to oversee the selection of the new Chief Minister.

The new Odisha Chief Minister's oath-taking ceremony on June 12 will see significant traffic restrictions in Bhubaneswar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the event at Janata Maidan, prompting a no-vehicle policy on key roads from 2 PM to 7 PM.

The new Odisha Chief Minister will be sworn in at a grand ceremony attended by PM Modi on June 12 at Janata Maidan, Bhubaneswar.

The BJP has appointed Rajnath Singh and Bhupender Yadav as central observers to facilitate the selection of Odisha’s next Chief Minister. The decision will be made at a legislative party meeting on June 11, following PM Modi's recent swearing-in. Speculations about potential candidates, including Manmohan Samal and Suresh Pujari, are circulating.

Pandian announced this decision in a video statement. The development came a day after BJD president Naveen Patnaik had categorically stated that VK Pandian was not his successor.

The swearing-in ceremony for the new Odisha Chief Minister, originally scheduled for June 10, has been postponed to June 12, 2024. This change accommodates PM Narendra Modi's schedule, who will also attend the event at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar.

Newly-elected Khordha MLA Prashant Jagdev, released on interim bail, criticized BJD president Naveen Patnaik and defended bureaucrat-turned-politician VK Pandian after BJD's defeat in the 2024 elections. BJP won 78 out of 147 assembly seats. Jagdev thanked Khordha voters and attended the new government's swearing-in ceremony.

Patnaik reiterated that the 4.5 crore people of Odisha are his family and he will continue to serve them in whichever way he can.

Hailing the superb performance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the struggle and work of every party leader for the landslide victory in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh in the recently concluded elections.

BJP leader Durga Prasan Nayak defeated BJD veteran and former minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak by a margin of 33, 526 votes. The BJP leader polled 1,09,653 votes in the election. 

BJD leader Pranab Prakash Das said, “Naveen Babu had reviewed the poll defeat on Wednesday and did the same on Thursday. A committee is being formed to look into the poll debacle. He told everyone about what he has done for the state in the last 25 years. He also told us how to work and fight for the party. He is there and will lead from the front.”

Amid speculations over who will be the BJP’s chief ministerial choice for Odisha, the saffron party has started the exercise in this direction as the state BJP leaders have departed for New Delhi to hold discussions. 

Some leaders and critics were of the view that it was due to the IAS officer-turned-politician, that the ruling BJD lost the trust of the people. Prior to and during the elections, Pandian was making statements on issues by calling national and local media persons.