BHUBANESWAR: After two months of his re-election as the state BJP president, Manmohan Samal on Thursday announced new state office-bearers of the party.
Samal has retained 10 members from his previous 27-member team. Several changes were needed as many leaders were elected to the Assembly or Lok Sabha in the 2024 elections, sources said.
Senior leader and former vice-president Golak Mohapatra, a strong contender for the state president post, has been dropped, along with long-time party member Sukeshi Oram. Former Sundargarh MLA Kusum Tete has been retained as vice-president. Other vice-presidents from the outgoing team who have been dropped include Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, Panchayati Raj minister Rabi Narayan Naik, former MLAs Nauri Nayak and Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, and Purnachandra Mohapatra.
Promotions to vice-president include former secretaries Sipra Bajpei from Balasore and Ramesh Chandra Sahoo from Nabarangpur, former treasurer Sudarshan Goel from Rourkela, former MLA from Paralakhemundi K Narayan Rao, Ashok Mishra from Nayagarh, Shibaji Mohanty from Bolangir, Bhabendra Panda from Kalahandi, and Bishnu Das from Kendrapara. Jatin Mohanty, previously general secretary, has also been appointed vice-president.
Among the four new general secretaries, former vice-president Biranchi Tripathy joined Sarada Prasad Satpathy and Simanchal Khatei, who continue in their posts. Purnima Priyadarsani Nayak from Koraput replaced Purnima Kerketa from Sundargarh as general secretary, while Manas Kumar Mohanty would continue as general secretary (organisation).
