SAMBALPUR: Veteran BJP leader and Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram on Saturday announced he would no longer contest direct elections. The younger generation, he said, should be given more opportunities in Odisha's political landscape.
Interacting with the media following his visit to the Rozgar Mela in Sambalpur, Oram said he may be chosen as Governor or nominated to Rajya Sabha but will not take part in direct elections anymore.
"I have contested elections 10 times during my career - eight times as MP and twice as MLA. I am not willing to contest direct elections anymore," he said.
However, he clarified that he is not considering formal retirement from politics. "I may be sent to the Rajya Sabha or appointed as a Governor by the party. In any case, I will continue serving my party," he added.
Oram, who currently represents Sundargarh in the Lok Sabha, reiterated that while the decision to step back from electoral contests is personal, it may be revisited if the party insists.
"I am not retiring but it is my personal choice to not contest as an MLA or MP again. If the party disagrees and forces me to contest, I will have to reconsider my decision," he said.
Oram had earlier indicated during the previous election that he would not contest either Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha polls. With his latest announcement, he has reasserted his call. "The time has come to make way for younger leaders," the 64-year-old BJP stalwart said.
Over the course of his political career spanning more than three decades, Oram was first elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Bonai in 1990 and served two terms until 1998. He entered the Lok Sabha from Sundargarh in 1998 and was re-elected in 1999, when he was inducted into the Union Cabinet as the country's first Minister of Tribal Affairs.
He subsequently won the parliamentary seat in 2004, 2014, 2019, and again in 2024. He also served as state BJP president in 1997.