BHUBANESWAR: Days after the sudden resignation of the Assembly Speaker and two ministers, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is set to reshuffle his cabinet on Monday. The new appointments with the distribution of portfolios will be held at the new convention centre of the Lok Seva Bhawan. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at 9.30 am on Monday.
Sources familiar with the development in Raj Bhawan told The New Indian Express that Governor Ganeshi Lal who is away in Haryana will return on Sunday evening by cutting short his visit by a day. He was scheduled to arrive on May 22.
While three ministerial berths are lying vacant following the death of former Health minister Naba Kishore Das and the resignation of two ministers - School and Mass Education minister Samir Ranjan Dash and Labour minister Srikant Sahu - speculations are rife about two more ministers likely to be asked to quit.
With the key post of Speaker lying vacant after the resignation of Bikram Keshari Arukha, the government is apparently looking for an experienced leader to take up the mantle. “There are two persons who fit the bill - Revenue Minister Pramilla Mallick and Forest and Environment Minister Pradip Kumar Amat. Appointment of a woman speaker will send a vital message as none of the states has a woman on the seat,” said sources in the BJD.
While Arukha is in the running for a ministerial berth, party sources said two other names from southern districts are also making the rounds.
Naveen to reshuffle cabinet on Monday
Kabisuryanagar MLA Latika Pradhan, a first-timer, and Berhampur MLA Biskram Panda are in contention, sources said.
As the general elections are less than a year away and the BJD organisation in the southern districts needs a revamp, the organisational skills of Arukha is much in need in the party. As a speaker, he would not have been able to look after organisational matters, sources added.
Meanwhile, after her spectacular win in the Jharsuguda by-election, there is a strong rumour about the induction of Deepali Das, daughter of slain minister Naba Kishore Das, into the cabinet.
However, a section in the BJD said, the party’s success largely goes to Rourkela MLA Sharda Prasanna Nayak who worked tirelessly as election in charge to ensure the victory. Besides, he brought many Opposition leaders into the BJD fold before the bypoll.