BJP may elect Western Odisha MLA as Opposition leader

Bhawanipatna MLA Pradip Naik and Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra have emerged as front runners for the post.
For representational purposes (File Photo | EPS)
For representational purposes (File Photo | EPS)

BHUBANESWAR: With most of the senior leaders of State BJP still camping in Delhi, election of a leader of the newly-elected legislators in the 16th Assembly will take some time. For the first time, the Assembly will see BJP playing main opposition after dislodging Congress to the third position in the recently held elections.

Election of the BJP legislature party leader here will be a mere formality as the decision will be taken by the party’s Parliamentary Board, the highest decision making body in the matter of party affairs, sources said.As per norms, Speaker will recognise leader of the legislature party that has won at least 10 per cent of the total Assembly seats as the Leader of Opposition. With BJP winning 23 seats, it has the number to stake claim for the post.

A date for the meeting of the newly-elected members of the party will be decided next week when senior leaders of the party including the two Union Ministers - Dharmendra Pradhan and Pratap Sarangi -  are expected here, sources said.

In all probability, the leader of the BJP legislature party will be someone from Western Odisha. Senior BJP leader KV Singhdeo was the legislature party leader in the last Assembly. After his defeat, Bhawanipatna MLA Pradip Naik and Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra have emerged as front runners for the post. “I will discharge whatever responsibility the party will give me. The BJP will play an effective Opposition in the Assembly and ensure that the State Government is accountable in the matter of governance,” Mishra said.

Mishra, however, said he is not sure when the legislators meeting will take place. It will be know only after all the leaders return from Delhi.With the election of Surya Narayan Patro as Speaker, the 16th Assembly is all set to commence its first session sometime in the second week of June. The first session will be important as State Government will place it full budget for the current financial year.

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