BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday met national BJP president and Union Health and Family Welfare minister JP Nadda at New Delhi, raising expectations about an early cabinet reshuffle.
It is believed that the chief minister is giving final touches to the impending cabinet reshuffle and appointment to state-owned public sector undertakings (PSUs) during his frequent New Delhi visit and meeting with senior leaders of the party.
Majhi, on the day, attended the swearing in ceremony of Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan. He was accompanied by state Health minister Mukesh Mahaling. Both later called on Nadda and held discussions with him.
The chief minister’s latest visit follows state BJP president Manmohan Samal’s meetings with several senior leaders of the party in New Delhi. Samal had told mediapersons upon his return that cabinet expansion, appointment to state PSUs and boards, and organisational restructuring of the party will be done at the right time.
The chief minister did not interact with mediapersons after his return from New Delhi in the evening. However, earlier in a post on X, Majhi said he had a courtesy meeting with party’s national president and Union minister Nadda at New Delhi. “We held insightful discussions on the Odisha government’s people-centric initiatives, strengthening healthcare services, developing health infrastructure and shaping the future roadmap,” he stated.
The buzz over the cabinet rejig and expansion has been going on for the last few months and the delay has been a cause of consternation among the party and legislators’ ranks. The strength of Majhi ministry is currently 16, including the chief minister. There are five vacancies in the cabinet as 15 per cent members of the strength of the Assembly can be sworn in as ministers. As the strength of Odisha Assembly is 147, the government can have at least 21 ministers.