BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik on Monday appointed new observers of the party for all the 30 districts of the state, while giving charge of highest number of four districts to general secretary (organisation) Pranab Prakash Das.
The reshuffle of party observers has come four days after the appointment of former minister Manmohan Samal as the state president of the BJP. The change in district organisational in-charges has signalled that the ruling party is getting into poll mode for 2024 general elections.
Das has been given charge of Angul, Dhenkanal, Sambalpur and Keonjhar districts. This assumes significance as Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is likely to contest for Lok Sabha from a seat in one of these districts.
Angul and Dhenkanal districts come under the Dhenkanal Lok Sabha constituency. Pradhan is also said to have an eye on the Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat if he feels that Dhenkanal is not safe enough for him to contest. The seat is presently represented by Nitesh Gangdeb of the BJP. Pradhan was elected from Deogarh Lok Sabha seat in 2004. Besides, giving Das charge of Sambalpur district is also important for the fact that leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Jaynarayan Mishra, who has been in the crosshairs of BJD for his consistent attack on the state government on various issues.
Sources said that BJD organisation in Keonjhar needs to be strengthened further. The district being rich in minerals is important for resource mobilisation. In fact, Das was observer for Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar. He now continues as an observer of Keonjhar.
Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and Dibya Shankar Mishra will be responsible for two districts each while others have been assigned one each. While Nayak will be in charge of Gajapati and Rayagada, Mishra has been entrusted with Koraput and Malkangiri. Besides, Pranab Balabantray has given charge of Kalahandi district. Amaresh Jena (Deogarh), Rabindra Kumar Jena (Khurda) and Debesh Acharya (Sonepur) are the new additions.