!["Four-time MLA and tribal leader Mohan Charan Majhi was sworn in as the first BJP Chief Minister of Odisha, administered by Governor Raghubar Das, in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union ministers, and chief ministers.](https://images.cnbctv18.com/uploads/2024/06/pti06-12-2024-000240b-1-1-2024-06-e4174d4cfeae68a55cea5919119807d3.jpg?impolicy=website&width=360&height=202 ""Four-time MLA and tribal leader Mohan Charan Majhi was sworn in as the first BJP Chief Minister of Odisha, administered by Governor Raghubar Das, in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union ministers, and chief ministers.")
Four-time MLA and tribal leader Mohan Charan Majhi was sworn in as the first BJP Chief Minister of Odisha on Wednesday, June 12. The oath was administered by Governor Raghubar Das in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union ministers, and chief ministers. Majhi, the BJP MLA from Keonjhar, belongs to the tribal Santhal community. He secured victory in Keonjhar by a margin of 11,577 votes, defeating BJD’s Mina Majhi
Following Majhi, Senior BJP leader and Patnagarh MLA Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister. A member of the erstwhile royal family of Patnagarh, the 67-year-old has now been elected for the sixth time from the Patnagarh constituency. Singh Deo previously served as a minister in the erstwhile BJD-BJP coalition government, handling key portfolios such as industries and urban development. Additionally, he served as the state BJP president from 2013 to 2016.
Pravati Parida, a debutant from the Nimapara assembly segment, also took the oath as Deputy Chief Minister. She became the first woman Deputy CM of the state. Pravati Parida won her first assembly seat in 2024 from Nimapara, following three consecutive losses.
Suresh Pujari, a 64-year-old advocate and former state BJP president, took the oath as a minister in the Odisha cabinet. Elected from the Brajarajnagar Assembly constituency, Pujari defeated Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Alaka Mohanty with a margin of 26,789 votes, Pujari was previously elected to the Lok Sabha from Bargarh in 2019. Despite losing five Assembly elections, he served as the state BJP president in 2006 and as the National Secretary of the BJP, representing Odisha in the central committee chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Rabi Narayan Naik was sworn in as an Odisha Cabinet minister on Wednesday. Naik won the Kuchinda Assembly constituency by defeating Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Rajendra Kumar Chhatria with a significant margin of 32,220 votes.
Additionally, Nityananda Gond and Krushna Chandra Patra were sworn in as Cabinet ministers in Odisha. Gond, who emerged victorious from the Umerkote Assembly constituency, defeated BJD candidate Nabina Nayak by a margin of 10,373 votes. Similarly, Patra secured victory in the Dhenkanal Assembly constituency, defeating BJD candidate Sudhir Kumar Samal with a margin of 20,439 votes.
Prithviraj Harichandan, Mukesh Mahaling, Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, and Dr. Krushna Chandra Mohapatra were among those sworn in as Cabinet ministers in Odisha. Harichandan emerged victorious from the Chilika Assembly constituency, defeating Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Raghunath Sahu by a margin of 4,566 votes. Similarly, Mukesh Mahaling secured victory in the Loisingha Assembly constituency, defeating BJD candidate Nihar Ranjan Behera with a margin of 18,190 votes.
Bibhuti Bhusan Jena emerged triumphant from the Gopalpur Assembly constituency, defeating BJD candidate Bikram Kumar Panda with a margin of 9,062 votes. Dr Krushna Chandra Mohapatra won the Morada Assembly constituency in Odisha by defeating Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Preetinanda Kanungo with a margin of 33,270 votes.
In addition to the Cabinet ministers, several MLAs were sworn in as Ministers of State (MoS) with Independent Charge in the Odisha government. This includes Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia from the Jashipur constituency, who defeated BJD candidate Chakradhar Hembram with a margin of 34,667 votes. Suryabanshi Suraj Sthitaprajna from the Dhamnagar constituency defeated BJD candidate Sanjaya Kumar Das with a margin of 8,095 votes. Pradeep Bal Samanta from Sukinda constituency defeated BJD candidate Pritiranjan Gharai with a margin of 9,577 votes. Gokula Nanda Mallik from the Polasara constituency defeated BJD candidate Srikanta Sahu with a margin of 20,946 votes, and Sampad Chandra Swain from the Paradeep constituency defeated BJD candidate Geetanjali Routray with a margin of 15,787 votes.
After taking the oath of office, Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi received a warm welcome from Chief Secretary PK Jena and senior officials at Lok Seva Bhavan in Bhubaneswar. Alongside his Deputy CMs and cabinet ministers, he commenced his tenure by chairing his first cabinet meeting at the same venue.