Just a day after completion of the bypoll to Brajarajnagar Assembly seat, Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik has initiated the process for a complete revamp of his cabinet.

Bhubaneswar, 4th June 2022: Just a day after completion of the bypoll to Brajarajnagar Assembly seat, Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik has initiated the process for a complete revamp of his cabinet.

According to BJD sources, all the ministers have been asked to step down with immediate effect. Accordingly, the ministers have submitted their papers, the source said.

Similarly, Assembly Speaker S.N. Patro has also resigned from his seat. The Speaker has submitted his resignation to deputy speaker Rajani Kanta Singh. It is speculated that for the first time a woman BJD MLA will be appointed as Speaker. Patro may get a berth in the new cabinet.

For the first time, Naveen is going to make a complete revamp of his cabinet. The new ministers are likely to take oath at Raj Bhawan convention hall on Sunday.

Local political analysts feel that such a move has been taken to ensure that there will be no conflict or indifference among the outgoing ministers. Soon after the reshuffle, some senior leaders, who were dropped from the cabinet, will be given key roles in the organisation aiming at the 2024 elections.

Patnaik started his fifth innings as Odisha Chief Minister on May 29, 2019. The reshuffle was delayed for a few months in view of the panchayat and urban elections, and then the Brajarajnagar bypoll, a BJD leader said. Notably, the ruling party in Odisha has registered landslide victories in both panchayat and urban polls.