Amid Suspense Over CM Pick In Odisha, BJP Postpones Oath Taking Ceremony To June 12

As per BJP leaders Jatin Mohanty and Vijaypal Singh Tomar, the swearing in ceremony for the new Odisha chief minister stands postponed.

With a new date set for the oath taking ceremony, the BJP government is likely to announce the CM pick after Narendra Modi begins his third term as Prime Minister of India on Sunday.

While BJP is yet to announce its pick for the top state post, it is likely that the first-time government will take an unexpected pick for the post of Chief Minister, similar to what happened in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh in December 2023.

However, amid the suspense, the top three names for the top post have been speculated to be Jual Oram, Dharmendra Pradhan and Ashwini Vashinaw.

Who Will Become Odisha's Next Chief Minister?

Jual Oram - Six-time Sundargarh MP and former Union Cabinet Minister Oram is a popular tribal face in the state. Oran served in the union cabinet during the Vajpayee government in 1999 and the first Modi cabinet in 2014.

Dharmendra Pradhan - The outgoing Education minister win from the seat of Sambalpur in the state. Pradhan, who has also served as a cabinet minister for two terms is one of the key BJP figures in the state.

Ashwini Vaishnaw - former IAW officer and Rajya Sabha MP from the state is another key name on the purported list of CM picks in Odisha. The outgoing Railways minister started his career as an IAS officer in Balasore and Cuttack.

However, if Pradhan and Vaishnaw are given portfolios in the Modi 3.0 Cabinet, they will not be included in the list of CM picks in Odisha.

BJP Sweeps Odisha Lok Sabha And Vidhan Sabha

On June 4, 2024, the BJP swept Odisha in the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. With their landslide victory, the BJP is now set to form its first ever government in the state, marking the end by Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal's 24-year rule in the eastern state.