BHUBANESWAR: The BJP on Monday announced the names of core committee members of its Odisha unit. Fifteen prominent leaders of the State including the three Union Ministers are members of the core group which was approved by national BJP president JP Nadda.
State BJP president Samir Mohanty, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw and Biseswar Tudu, Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Pradipta Naik, national vice-president Baijayant Panda, national spokesperson Sambit Patra and former Union ministers Jual Oram and Pratap Sarangi are in the 17-member core group, a list of which was released by national BJP general secretary Arun Singh.
The other members of the group include MPs Basanta Panda and Suresh Pujari; former minister K V Singhdeo, Manmohan Samal and Surama Padhi; and State general secretary (organisation) Manas Mohanty.National BJP general secretary and Odisha in-charge D Purandeswari and co-incharge Vijaypal Singh Tomar are special invitees to the core committee.
However, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi who has become a target of the BJD government for her criticism of the ruling party is not a part of the core group. The core group is expected to meet at least once in a month to take stock of political situations and organisational matters.