Bhubaneswar: Governor Ganeshi Lal Sunday invited Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik, who led the party to an emphatic victory in both Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Odisha, to form the next government in the state.
Set to be sworn in as the chief minister for a record fifth consecutive term in the state, Patnaik met the Governor and staked claim to form the government after being elected the leader of the BJD legislature party, Sunday.
Earlier, senior party leader Bikram Keshari Arukh proposed the name of Patnaik as the leader of the legislature party and all the 111 MLAs elected in the just-concluded Assembly election, seconded and supported the proposal passed at the party’s headquarters here. Soon after the meeting, the Naveen rushed to the Raj Bhavan to stake claim to constitute his government and Council of Ministers. Acting on the plea, Governor Ganeshi Lal invited Naveen to form his government.
Earlier in the day, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Surendra Kumar handed over the list of winning MLA candidates to the Governor. The swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers will take place May 29 at the Exhibition Ground in the city.
Meanwhile, senior BJD leader Ranendra Pratap Swain has been appointed as the Pro-tem Speaker, who will administer the oath of office and secretary to all the elected members of the House.
Naveen thanked his newly-elected party members for electing him as leader of the legislature party. He also expressed his gratitude to the 4.5 crore people of Odisha for reposing faith in the BJD and electing party to serve them for fifth consecutive term. “We have to honour their faith people have on us by sincere and dedicated hard work,” he said.
“Many of you come for the first time to the Assembly. I welcome you all. Always remember to lead a simple life. When you are simple, people come closer to you,” he told the newly elected leaders.
Rejoicing at the success of BJD, Naveen said, “People ask me often about the secret of the BJD’s continuous success and I always tell them these two points – keep people in focus and work for people.”
Earlier in the day, the BJD supremo chaired the BJD parliamentary party meeting at his residence Naveen Niwas where all the 12 newly elected 12 MPs were present. Patnaik advised the newly elected MPs to work hard with a team spirit and fight for the cause of the state in the Lok Sabha.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Berhampur MP Chandra Sekhar Sahu said the meeting resolved to raise in Parliament the Special Category Status demand for Odisha, more funds for the natural calamities and 33 per cent reservation for women in the Parliament and Legislative Assembly.
Sahu said the BJD MPs will ensure that the bill ensuring 33 per cent quota for women in Parliament and Legislative Assembly is passed in Parliament.
Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab said, “We have been demanding Special Category status for Odisha for long. Nitish Kumar’s party JD-U had raised the demand for Bihar prior to the elections and YRS-Congress members had also resigned en masse from the 16th Parliament raising the demand. We will watch what action they intend to take now about the demand.”
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