Know the first-time MLAs who got ministerial berths in new BJP-led Odisha govt

Sourabha Kumar Parida 

Bhubaneswar, June 13: Eight first-time MLAs were lucky enough to get ministerial berths in the newly formed BJP-led Odisha mnistry headed by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi 

Nimapara MLA Pravati Parida (57) became the first woman deputy chief minister of the state as a first timer to the Odisha Legislative Assembly. Parida had earlier served as the women’s wing president of the BJP in Odisha who unsuccessfully contested from Nimapara thrice before.

Newly-elected Brajarajnagar MLA Suresh Pujari (64) took oath as a cabinet minister. He was the president of BJP’s state unit from 2006 to 2009. Pujari got elected to Lok Sabha from Bargarh constituency in 2019 after unsuccessfully contesting from Brajrajnagar Assembly seat in 2000, 2004 and 2009 polls before emerging victorious this time.

Prithiviraj Harichandan, who took oath as a cabinet minister, has served as the state general secretary and vice-president of BJP in the past. In 2019, he lost to BJD’s Prasanta Jagadev, who has been elected as a BJP MLA from Khurda constituency this time.

Gopalpur MLA Bibhuti Bhusan Jena (57) has won the election for the first time from Gopalpur and took oath as a cabinet minister. 

Similarly, Morada MLA Dr Krushna Chandra Mahapatra took oath as a cabinet minister. Dr Mahapatra defeated BJD’s Preetinanda Kanungo, wife of former MLA Rajkishore Das. In 2019 polls, he had lost to Das.

Among the MoS (independent charge), Sukinda MLA Pradeep Bala Samanta (66) defeated former minister Pritiranjan Gharai. Polasara MLA Gokulananda Mallik (48) defeated former minister Srikanta Sahu. Mallik had earlier unsuccessfully contested the 2019 elections on a BJP ticket and 2014 polls as a Congress candidate.

Paradip MLA Sampad Chandra Swain (38) holds an MBA degree from Magnus School of Business. He defeated BJD’s Gitanjali Routray. He had lost to the latter’s husband Sambit Routray in 2019.