By Anurjay Dhal
BHUBANESWAR: This photo was taken on February 26 this year, after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was elected as BJD President for consecutive 8th times and Party’s State Returning Officer, Pratap Keshari Deb, MLA, Aul, offering Mahaprasad of Lord Jagannath to Chief Minister at Party’s State Headquarters’ in Bhubaneswar.
Since then Aul MLA Deb seems missing from many of ruling BJD’s big decisions with TV Channel booms either looking for BJD General Secretary (Media Affairs) Manas Mangaraj or Party’s Rajya Sabha MP and National Spokesperson Dr Sasmit Patra for sound byte on any issue.
“With Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik giving final shape to party organisation and inducting two MLAs from Kendrapara, Atanu Nayak of Mahakalpada and Sashi Bhushan Behera of Kendrapara as General Secretaries, chances look bright for Pratap Keshari Deb for a Cabinet berth when Chief Minister Patnaik goes for a reshuffle after COVID-19 pandemic,” sources closely monitoring the political affairs of BJD said.
It may be noted here that, Kendrapara MLA Behera has been appointed as General Secretary in charge of Women Empowerment and Schedule Caste Welfare while Mahakalpada MLA Nayak has been given charge of Odisha: Mo Paribar.
“Apart from Aul MLA Deb, both Nayak and Behera are too hopeful for a berth while Patkura’s Sabitri Agarwal is also playing her emotional card. Interestingly, Deb, who hails from Aul Royal family, was not in good terms with either Nayak or Behera but since the COVID-19 outbreak and backed by strong whip of BJD Supremo, all are working together in Kendrapara,” a source in Kendrapara said.
Pratap Deb is now on his 4th terms in Odisha Assembly from Aul seat was earlier served as Minister, Rajya Sabha MP, Party’s Chief spokesperson and Housing Board Chairman. During Deb’s tenure as Civil Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s flagship pro-poor scheme , Rice@2 was streamlined.
The following leaders of Biju Janata Dal are hereby appointed as Senior General Secretaries:-Nrusingha Charan Sahu: In charge of Regional Development, Ashok Chandra Panda: In charge of Social Welfare, Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo: In charge of Social Welfare Pritiranjan Gharai: In charge of Social Welfare, Arun Kumar Sahoo: In charge of Art, Culture and Human Resources, Rohit Pujari: In charge of Art, Culture and Human Resources, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak: In charge of Odisha: Mo Paribar, Rabi Narayan Nanda (Jeypore): In charge of Environment, Rajendra Prasad Dholkia: In charge of Environment.
Pratap Jena: In charge of Sashakta Odisha, Naba Kishore Das: In charge of Sashakta Odisha, Ramesh Chandra Majhi: In charge of Tribal Development and Minority Affairs, Sarojini Hembram: In charge of Tribal Development and Minority Affairs, Sashi Bhusan Behera: in charge of Women Empowerment and Schedule Caste Welfare, Sumitra Jena: In charge of Women Empowerment
Earlier, BJD has appointed 8 senior vice-presidents, 9 vice-presidents, and 1 general secretary (Headquarters) as office bearers to various posts. Senior Vice-Presidents included Anang Uday Singhdeo, Prasanna Acharya, Prasanna Kumar Patsani, Prafulla Samal, Bijayshree Routray, Lal Bihari Himrika, Ananta Das, Bimbadhar Kuanr
Vice-Presidents included Mangala Kisan- In charge of Tribal Empowerment & Minority Affairs, Soumya Ranjan Patnaik- In charge of Art, Culture and Human Resources Development, Debi Prasad Mishra- In charge of Odisha: Mo Parivar, Bikram Keshari Arukh- In charge of Environment, Usha Devi- In charge of Social Welfare, Pramila Mallik- In charge of Women Empowerment, Badri Narayan Patra- In charge of Regional Development, Pradip Kumar Amat- In charge of Sashakta Odisha, Padmanav Behera- In charge of S.C. Empowerment, General Secretary (Head Quarters), Sanjay Kumar Das Burma.
