As the stage is set for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to replace the 24-year-old BJD Government in the coastal State, all eyes are on who will head the maiden government of the saffron party as animated suspense over the pick of new Chief Minister lingers on.

The BJP, which won 78 of 147 Assembly seats and virtually swept the Lok Sabha polls tasting victory in 20 of 21 seats, did not project the chief ministerial face as it went to poll with the mission to dethrone the more than two-decade-old Naveen Patnaik government from power. The party has the track record of springing surprises in picking chief ministers as it did last year in picking up Mohan Yadav to succeed Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who had served a record four terms in the office. The pick was also on the same lines in Rajasthan last year.

In Odisha, contenders are many. But power to pick the head of the State largely lies with the BJP parliamentary board, the highest decision-making body of the party. The 78-member BJP legislature party meeting, which is scheduled to be held on 11 June, will simply seal its stamp of approval on the nomination finalised by the parliamentary board, confided a senior leader of the State unit of BJP.

The swearing-in ceremony for the first BJP government in Odisha has been rescheduled from June 10 to June 12 to enable Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the historic swearing-in ceremony. Modi is likely to hold a mega roadshow in Bhubaneswar ahead of attending the oath-taking ceremony.

Meanwhile, the BJP has appointed Rajnath Singh and Bhupender Yadav as observers for election of the leader of its 78-member legislature party in Odisha.

With Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram, who were in the contention for CM’s post, sworn in as union cabinet ministers, it appears likely that pick will be from the 78 newly elected BJP MLAs.

However, the name of Odisha BJP unit president Manmohan Samal is also being speculated though he lost the Assembly polls by a narrow margin. As Samal has earned distinction of heading the party to storm to power, possibility of his selection may not be ruled out.

The newly elected Brajarajnagar MLA Suresh Pujari also stays in the list of contention. Names of Jaynarayan Mishra, Rabinarayan Naik, Mukesh Mahaling are doing the rounds. Barring BJP president Samal, the rest of the top contenders are from western Odisha. The possible pick of a dark horse is also very much on the cards, confided party sources.

Though several heavyweights won the Lok Sabha polls, the party may not opt for them for the top post as it will necessitate a by-election. Keeping in view the fact that BJP could not manage to secure a majority by its own in the Lok Sabha, it appears most unlikely that it will go for a by-election by picking up any fancied newly elected LS member. Besides, it will pave the way for an Assembly by-poll, they concluded.