Veteran Tribal leader and four-time MLA Mohan Charan Majhi took oath as the first BJP Chief Minister of Odisha in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former CM Naveen Patnaik and several Central leaders. BJP which stormed to power in Odisha bagging 78 of the 147 assembly seats, bringing an end to the 24-year rule of the Naveen Patnaik led BJD. Senior BJP leader K.V.Singh Deo and debutant from Nimapara assembly segment in Puri district Parvati Parida took oath as Deputy Chief Ministers.
Governor Raghubar Das administered the oath of secrecy and office to them at Janata Maidan. Along with CM and Deputy CMs eight cabinet ministers and five ministers of state (independent charge) took the oath. The cabinet ministers are Suresh Pujari, Rabi Naraayan Naik, Nityananda Gond, Krishna Chandra Patra, Prithiviraj Harichandan, Dr. Mukesh Mahaling, Bibhuti Bhushan Jena and Dr. Krushna Chandra Mohapatra. the ministers of state are Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia , Suryabanshi Suraj, Pradeep Bala Samanta , Gokulananda Mallick and Sampad Chaaran Swain.
Apart from Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda, Union Ministers Amit Shaah, Rajnath Singh, Bhupender Yadav, Dharamendra Pradhan, Juel oram Ashwini Vaishnaw and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states including Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatishgarh, Assam and Uttarakhand were present on the occasion.
Earlier Majhi drove to Naveen Niwas, Naveen Patnaik’s residence to personally invited him to attend the swearing-in ceremony and sought his blessings. He accompanied by the deputy CM designates Sing Deo and Prabhati Parida paid floral tributes to statues of veteran freedom fighters, former CMs and social workers here.
Earlier Prime Minister took part in a road show programme in the capital thanking the people to providing opportunity for forming first BJP government in the state and electing 20 out of 21 Lok Sabha members.
