Bhubaneswar: Senior BJD lawmakers Bikram Keshari Arukha, Sarada Prasad Nayak and Sundam Marndi on Monday took oath as ministers in the cabinet of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Governor Ganeshi Lal administered them the oath of office and secrecy at Lok Seva Bhawan.
The three BJD leaders had earlier served as ministers and were possibly re-inducted to give a better representation from Odisha's different regions and as they wield local-level influence needed to take on the BJP in crucial national and state elections next year.
While Arukha has been allotted the Finance portfolio, Marndi has been made the School and Mass Education Minister and Nayak the minister of the Labour and Employees' State Insurance Department.
The three ministers were inducted after the resignation of Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash and Labour Minister Srikant Sahu from their posts on May 12. Besides, one post was laying vacant following the killing of the then health minister Naba Kishore Das on January 29. Parliamentary Affairs and Health Minister Niranjan Pujari was looking after the Finance Department, while Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Pramila Mallik was also holding the Labour and Employees' State Insurance Department.
Also read: All scams of BJP govt will be probed: K'taka Minister
Both Arukha and Marndi were dropped from the council of ministers during the previous reshuffle held in June last year. Nayak had also earlier (2009 to 2012) served as a Minister of State (MoS) in the Patnaik cabinet. While Arukha was appointed as the speaker of the assembly, Marndi continued to work as a lawmaker from the Bangiriposi assembly seat in the Mayurbhanj district and Nayak as the MLA of Rourkela in the Sundergarh district.
With the induction of the three new ministers, the strength of the cabinet has mounted to 22, including the CM. (With Agency Inputs)
