BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was formally declared elected as the president of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for the seventh consecutive term on Sunday. Besides Naveen, 80 others were elected unopposed to the State executive of the party.
Naveen’s re-election as the BJD’s president was announced by the State returning officer (SRO) Pratap Keshari Deb at the party’s State council meeting here. The party’s organisational poll process was started in the last week of December, Deb said and added that it was completed on Sunday in five phases.
The Chief Minister’s election as BJD president was a mere formality as he was the only candidate to file nomination papers for the post.
Naveen is the founder president of BJD, formed in 1997. The party’s organisational elections are held every three years. Soon after announcement of the election results, Naveen thanked the workers and advised the Ministers to guide the party functionaries and workers at the grassroots level.
Stating that BJD has now become a powerful regional party, the Chief Minister said its importance in national politics has increased. The party’s strength is that it has won the trust and confidence of the people of Odisha, he said.
Describing Odisha’s prosperity and pride as BJD’s goal, Naveen said the party’s battle against neglect towards the State has raised the faith of the people in BJD which aims at ensuring inclusive growth.
BJD has programmes for all sections of society including farmers, labourers, women, students, youths, tribals and dalits.
Members of the State executive include Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Bijayshree Routray, Finance Minister Pradip Kumar Amat, Rural Development Minister Badrinarayan Patra, Excise Minister Damodar Rout, School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra, Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Ashok Panda, Minister of State for Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Sanjay Dasburma, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Minister of State for Steel and Mines Prafulla Kumar Mallik, Minister of State for Energy Pranab Prakash Das, Minister of State for Sports Sudam Marndi, Minister of State for Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Snehangini Chhuria, Rajya Sabha MP Bhupinder Singh, former ministers Prasanna Acharya, Padmanabha Behera, Jugal Kishore Patnaik, Bed Prakash Agrawal, Prafulla Samal, Bimbadhar Kuanr, Sarada Nayak, Debasis Nayak, Government Deputy Chief Whip Rohit Pujari, president of Biju Mahila Janata Dal Pramila Mallik, party MLA Debasis Samantray and Bijay Kumar Nayak.
Besides, 12 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs including AU Singhdeo, Tathagat Satpathy, Pinaki Mishra, Bhartruhari Mahtab, Baijayant Panda and Dilip Tirkey were elected to the State executive.