BJD rejig: 5 ministers, four others appointed observers of 11 dists

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, May 5:

With two years to go to polls, Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal has fastened its belt to negate the Bharatiya Janata Party’s surge in the state with organizational restructure in the party.

The BJD today named nine leaders of the party as observers of 11 districts in the state to further strengthen its base at grassroots level.

Of the 11 leaders, five hold ministerial berth in the government.

While party vice president Surya Narayan Patro has been given the charge of Bolangir, Prafulla Samal has been assigned the charge of Jagstsinghpur district.

Similarly, School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra has been the responsibility of Sambalpur district, Higher Education Minister Pradeep Panigrahi of Gajapati, Law and Panchayati Raj Minister Arun Sahu of Mayurbhanj, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Das Burma has been given twin charge of Nabarangpur and Rayagada, Energy and IT Minister Pranab Prakash Das has also been given the twin responsibility of Koraput and Malkangiri districts.

In addition to this, Wester Odisha Development Council (WODC) Chairman Kishore Mohanty has been assigned Subarnapur and Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak has been appointed for Balasore district.

Besides the above responsibilities, the party has given additional responsibility to two of the party leaders. While Sanjay Das Burma has been given additional role of being general secretary of Youth Affairs, Arun Sahu has been made the general secretary of Student Affairs.