Bhubaneswar: Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal Saturday said that revamping the party’s state organisation will be his top priority, and a new state team will be formed soon.
Speaking to reporters upon his return from New Delhi, where he met several senior party leaders, including BJP national president JP Nadda, Samal said the restructuring of the state unit will be initiated shortly.
This will be followed by the appointment of chairpersons for various corporations and boards in the state, he said.
“The new BJP team in Odisha will feature both experienced leaders and fresh faces to strike a balance between the old guard and emerging leadership,” Samal said.
When asked about a possible Cabinet expansion in Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s government, Samal clarified that no discussions were held on the matter during his Delhi visit.
However, he added that it is the Chief Minister’s prerogative to decide the timing of the Cabinet expansion, in consultation with the BJP’s Central Parliamentary Board.
“If the party’s opinion is sought on Cabinet expansion, I will certainly provide my input,” he added.
At present, the Majhi Cabinet has 15 ministers, though six additional berths remain vacant as per the permissible limit.
A recent meeting between the Chief Minister and the Governor has triggered political speculation about a possible Cabinet expansion in the near future.
Political observers believe that the expansion is likely to happen after the party finalises its organisational revamp and appoints heads of various state corporations and boards, a process that has been pending for the past 13 months since the BJP came to power in Odisha.
Responding to Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das’s statement that his party would support a no-confidence motion if the BJD brings it against the BJP government, Samal said, “The Opposition has every right to move such a motion. We are ready to face it.”
Meanwhile, BJP state in-charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar also stated that no discussion has taken place regarding a Cabinet reshuffle but hinted that the existing vacancies will be filled soon.
PNN