Odisha Cabinet Reshuffle Soon! Deepali Das & Latika Pradhan likely to get minister posts
As Naveen Patnaik is giving priority to the women, Deepali Das and Latika Pradhan are likely to be given the minister posts.
Bhubaneswar: A minor reshuffle in Odisha cabinet is likely to take place soon as the State assembly speaker and two Ministers have resigned from their posts yesterday. Jharsuguda MLA Deepali Das and Kabisuryanagar MLA Latika Pradhan are likely to get the minister posts.
It is to be noted here that Assembly speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha, School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Das and Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Employees State Insurance Minister Srikanta Sahu tendered their resignation on Friday. Likewise, Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari has been given the additional charge of the Health Department after the murder of Naba Das.
Therefore, now it is said that three MLAs will get the Ministers’ posts while a senior legislator will be appointed as the speaker of the house.
After the resignation of Polasara MLA Srikanta Sahu from his minister post, discussion are going on that BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik may give a Minister post to one of the MLAs from the south Odisha. Bikram Keshari Arukha is expected to get it. However, Kabisuryanagar MLA Latika Pradhan and Berhampur MLA Bikram Panda are in the race.
On the other hand, slain Naba Das from the Western Odisha was the Health Minister and as the State ruling party has been winning the by-elections in the Western Odisha, it is assumed that the BJD president may reward one of the MLAs of the Western Odisha. Buzz is also underway that Naba’s daughter Deepali Das, who got a historic win today, may be given one of the fortpolios.
As Naveen Patnaik is giving priority to the women, Deepali Das and Latika Pradhan are likely to be given the minister posts.
On the other hand, Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari is in the front of the race for the State assembly speaker’s post. Earlier, he was the speaker of the house between 2014 and 2017. However, if the seniority of the MLA is considered, MLAs Debi Prasad Mishra and Amar Prasad Satpathy are the strong contenders.
Meanwhile, Revenue and Disaster Management Department Pramila Mallick has been allocated additional charge of the School & Mass Education and Labour Departments.
The expansion of Odisha cabinet ministers is likely to take place after the arrival of Governor Ganeshi Lal, who is outside the State now.
Ms Kalinga