Jual Oram’s remark comes on a day BJP inducted former IAS officer Aparajita Sarangi, who a section had been projecting as the party’s chief ministerial candidate in Odisha
Will fight polls under the leadership of Dharmendra Pradhan and oust the corrupt Naveen Patnaik government, said Jual Oram. (Photo: Twitter/@dpradhanbjp)
The Odisha BJP will project Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as its chief ministerial candidate in the 2019 Assembly elections. Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram made the announcement before the media in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
“We will fight under Pradhan’s leadership and oust the corrupt Naveen Patnaik government,” said Oram.
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The statement is significant as the BJP central leadership, including Amit Shah, has always skirted such questions in the past.
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It also comes on a day the party inducted former IAS officer Aparajita Sarangi, who recently opted for voluntary retirement. Her induction took place at Amit Shah’s house in Delhi, contrary to previously announced venue of party headquarters in the capital.
It was a simple function. While very few leaders were in attendance, Dharmendra Pradhan was among those present.
Interestingly, over the last week or so, social media platforms were being used to hype Aparajita’s entry into the party and some had even gone ahead projecting her as the chief ministerial face of the BJP.
In this context, Oram’s remarks that Pradhan was the CM face assumes more political importance within the BJP here.
Evidently, Oram wanted to put all speculations to rest. He exuded confidence that the BJP would succeed in its “Mission 120 plus” ( win more than 120 of the 147 assembly seats).
He is understood to have also commented on reports of two stalwarts Dilip Ray and Bijay Mahapatra planning to quit the party.
READ | Odisha BJP stalwarts Dilip Ray, Bijay Mahapatra to quit party on 30 Nov
“If they do so, it will be a loss to the party,” said Oram. He said he had good relationship with both Ray and Mahapatra.
The BJP circles were agog with the discussion on how Ray and Mahapatra, two of the most acknowledged leaders, having been marginalised by Dharmendra Pradhan over the last two years.
BJP state president Basanta Panda was guarded in his statement when he said the parliamentary board and the party took a call on all such matters.
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