By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, June 11, 2024: Four-time MLA Mohan Charan Majhi will be the next Chief Minister of Odisha, senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced on Tuesday.

The 52-year-old leader is a prominent tribal face in the coastal state. Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Pravati Parida will be his deputies.

The swearing-in ceremony will be held on Wednesday. In the recently-held assembly poll, the BJP defeated BJD, which had held power in the coastal state since 2000, with Naveen Patnaik failing to secure what would have been his sixth consecutive term in office.

In a post on the micro blogging site X, Rajnath Singh said, “Delighted to announce that Shri Mohan Charan Manjhi has been elected unanimously as the leader of Odisha BJP Legislature Party. He is a young and dynamic party karyakarta who will take the state forward on road to progress and prosperity as the new Chief Minister of Odisha. Many congratulations to him.”

“Also, it has been decided that two Deputy Chief Ministers will be designated to head the new State Government. Shri KV Singh Deo and Smt. Pravati Parida will serve the state as Deputy Chief Minister. Congratulations to them!” Singh added in his post.

When sworn-in, Majhi will become the 15th chief minister of Odisha. He is known for his public service and organisational skills.

Addressing the media after his selection as Chief Minister, Mohan Majhi said, “The government of the past 24 years has been changed. We will try to fulfill the belief that the people have shown in the BJP for the fulfillment of their dreams and for the development of Odisha. I promise to make Odisha the number one state in the country.”

Earlier in the day, the BJP Legislature Party meeting was convened to select the chief minister of Odisha. The meeting was attended by Rajnath Singh and his Cabinet colleague Bhupender Yadav.

Mr Majhi was born in Raikala village in Keonjhar district. He is the son of a security guard. He was the village head between 1997 and 2000 and was the general secretary of the BJP’s Odisha ST (Scheduled Tribes) Morcha before being elected as an MLA from Keonjhar in 2000. The 52-year-old has won from the seat four times, including the Assembly elections this year, in which his vote margin was 11,577. He holds a law degree.

The chief minister-designate is a strong tribal voice in Odisha and is known for his organisational skills. He was also the chief whip in the outgoing Odisha legislative assembly.

Previously, the BJP leader served as the deputy chief whip in the BJD-BJP coalition government and was the chief whip in the state Assembly from August, 2022. The two parties were in alliance here from 2005 to 2009. The BJD and the BJP were in alliance for 11 years between 1998 and 2009 and fought three Lok Sabha and two Assembly elections together.

Naveen Patnaik severed ties with the saffron party ahead of the 2009 general elections, months after a riot in Kandhamal the previous year.

The oath-taking ceremony of Majhi and other leaders is likely to be held on June 12 at 5 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to arrive in Bhubaneswar at 2.30 pm on Wednesday and proceed to Raj Bhavan from the airport, party sources said.

Several dignitaries, including Union Ministers and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, are expected to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new Odisha Chief Minister.

The BJP won 78 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly, while the BJD bagged 51.