BJP’s tribal CM took oath in Odisha yesterday. Tribal vote was crucial to its success, as was its clever positioning as guardian of ‘Odia Hindu’ pride. And BJD’s pro-big business economic model cost it dear
After the declaration of Lok Sabha poll results on June 4, Modi began his victory speech with a ‘Jai Jagannath’ chant that drowned out the ‘Jai Sri Ram’ emanating from the crowd. Modi was celebrating his party’s whopping Lok Sabha and assembly victory — in Odisha. BJP won all but one of the state’s 21 parliamentary seats, picking up 12 new ones and altogether removing Biju Janata Dal (BJD) from Parliament.
It also gained a majority in assembly (78 of 147 seats), removing Naveen Patnaik, the state’s longest-serving CM, who has run the state for nearly a quarter century, from the helm. On Tuesday, the party chose four-time MLA Mohan Charan Majhi, a tribal, as the state’s new CM.
It also gained a majority in assembly (78 of 147 seats), removing Naveen Patnaik, the state’s longest-serving CM, who has run the state for nearly a quarter century, from the helm. On Tuesday, the party chose four-time MLA Mohan Charan Majhi, a tribal, as the state’s new CM.