BHUBANESWAR: In a significant political development, Biju Janta Dal (BJD) supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday appointed Jajpur MLA and former minister Pranab Prakash Das as organisational secretary of the regional party.
Naveen made the announcement at the party headquarters here on the occasion of the 104th birth anniversary of former Chief Minister legendary Biju Patnaik.
This was the first political appointment after Naveen was elected as president of the party for the eighth consecutive term.
Three-time MLA, Das, will be in-charge of organisational affairs of the ruling party in the state. He has been made second in command of the party for his pivotal roles during the last two General and Assembly elections.
"He has worked very hard in the 2014 and 2019 elections besides the by-elections in the State during the period. He will oversee the overall work of the organisation," Naveen told mediapersons.
Chief Minister also paid floral tributes to his father and inaugurated a voluntary blood donation camp organised under the Jeevan Bindu programme at the party office.
The influential BJD lawmaker and former Energy Minister Das was not made a minister during Naveen's fifth term but given greater organisational responsibilities during the Patkura by-election.