BHUBANESWAR: The atmosphere at Janata Maidan was charged with excitement as the crowd erupted in cheers for the newly-appointed minister Suryavanshi Suraj during his oath-taking ceremony on Wednesday.
At 28 years, Suraj is the youngest lawmaker to take oath in Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s council of ministers. The crowd was seen applauding for the young minister enthusiastically through out his swearing-in. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also listened to Suraj keenly as he took oath.
The Dhamnagar MLA humbly accepted the responsibility and expressed gratitude to the leadership for the trust placed in him. He termed June 12 to be a historic day for the state. “People of the state have voted us to power to protect ‘Odia Asmita’ (Odia Pride) and fulfil their hopes and aspirations. I seek the blessings of Lord Jagannath to serve them,” Suraj said.
First elected from Dhamnagar Assembly seat in 2022 by-election after the death of his father Bishnu Charan Sethi, Suraj has emerged as a popular young face in the state politics. His appointment as a minister of state (independent charge) is widely seen as the new BJP government’s trust and confidence in youth leaders in leading administration.