BJP Names Mohan Charan Majhi as Odisha's New Chief Minister

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday named Mohan Charan Majhi, a four-time MLA from Keonjhar as the new Chief Minister of Odisha. Majhi, aged 52, will be sworn in alongside two Deputy Chief Ministers, K V Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.

Majhi's selection as the new Chief Minister followed a unanimous decision at a meeting attended by Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Bhupender Yadav. Following this, Majhi met Governor Raghubar Das to assert his claim to form the government.

This announcement comes after the BJP secured a historic victory in Odisha, winning 78 out of 147 seats in the recent assembly elections.

The new Chief Minister's appointment as the first tribal Chief Minister of Odisha is viewed as a strategic move by the BJP to strengthen its support among the tribal community, which constitutes a significant portion of the state's population.

A law graduate, Mohan Charan Majhi began his political journey as a sarpanch in 1997 and subsequently served as an MLA from Keonjhar multiple times. He has been actively involved in the state's politics, serving as the opposition chief whip in the previous Assembly and chairing the Public Accounts Committee in 2022.

In addition to Majhi, the BJP has named two Deputy Chief Ministers – Singh Deo, a seasoned six-time MLA with a political lineage, and Parida, a first-time MLA and former BJP women's wing president in Odisha. The transition of power from Naveen Patnaik, who led the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for over two decades, to Majhi signifies a significant shift in Odisha's political landscape. The inclusion of Singh Deo and Parida as Deputy Chief Ministers reflects a diverse leadership approach by the BJP.

The swearing-in ceremony, scheduled to take place at the Janta Maidan in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday will witness the presence of Prime Minister Modi, senior BJP leaders.