Bhubaneswar: After the BJP ousted the Naveen Patnaik led BJD in the Odisha assembly election 2024, winning 78 seats out of 147 seats, all eyes are on the next move of the saffron party in its choice of the next chief minister of the state.
Amid speculations over the next chief minister of Odisha, state BJP president Manmohan Samal on Wednesday said the party's parliamentary board will take a decision on it in a day or two.
Among the names making rounds are Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi and Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi besides party leader Suresh Pujari and former CAG and first LG of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Girish Chandra Murmu.
Dharmendra Pradhan: Dharmendra Pradhan, who won the Lok Sabha seat From Sambalpur as the Union Minister, is leading the race for the new Chief Minister of the state. Dharmendra Pradhan defeated BJD heavyweight Pranab Prakash Das in Sambalpur by 1,19,836 votes.
CAG Girish Chandra Murmu:CAG Girish Murmu is currently the talk of the town in the Chief Minister race in Odisha. Murmu, born on 21 November 1959 in Mayurbhanj District of Odisha, took charge as the first Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir after the formation of the new Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019. Murmu has also worked as the Principal Secretary for PM Modi during his tenure as the Gujarat Chief Minister.
Pratap Sarangi: Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi known as 'Modi of Odisha' is also in the spotlight for the post of new Chief Minister. After winning the Lok Sabha seat from Balasore in the 2019 election, MP Pratap Sarangi became the center of attention across the country. He also went on to become a minister in the Modi government.
Baijayant Panda:Another heavyweight leader of the state and three-time Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda is also leading in the Chief Minister race. He is now the national vice president of BJP and has retained the prestigious Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat.
Suresh Pujari: Former Bargarh MP and now elected as MLA from Brajarajnagar seat, Suresh Pujari is also in the race for the new Chief Minister. Suresh Pujari, who defeated the BJD candidate by 26789 votes, is a popular leader in the BJP.
