BHUBANESHWAR: Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly and Congress stalwart Narasingh Mishra on Sunday alleged a breach of official protocol after he was made to sit in the fourth row at the swearing-in ceremony at Raj Bhavan, post CM Naveen Patnaik’s major cabinet reshuffle.
Though as per protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is to be treated at par with the cabinet ministers, Sunday’s seating arrangement seated Mishra rows behind cabinet ministers, ministers of state, MPs and MLAs.
Narasingh Mishra said in the chaos and disorder of the 'badly managed' event, he was even pushed and elbowed on his head by a reporter, after which he boycotted the at home party after the swearing in ceremony.
Naveen Patnaik, in the biggest reshuffle in his 17-year tenure inducted ten new ministers into the Odisha cabinet and elevated three ministers to cabinet rank.