Naveen scotches reshuffle rumours

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ruled out the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle in the near future, putting to rest speculation about dropping of some incumbent ministers on grounds of non-performance and accommodating a few seasoned Biju Janata Dal (BJD) loyalists in the ministry.

“As regards the Cabinet reshuffle, there are no such thoughts,” Patnaik told news persons here.

The talk of reshuffle has been doing the rounds for almost a month with political observers saying the chief minister was only buying time and waiting till the release of BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka from the captivity of Naxals to make the much anticipated announcement. Hikaka was freed from the clutches of the Red Rebels on April 26 after being held hostage for 33 days.

The resignation of two cabinet ministers - Pradeep Maharathi and A U Singh Deo owning moral responsibility over the Pipili rape and hooch killings respectively, had necessitated some changes in the ministry. While Patnaik took control of the agriculture ministry held by Maharathy, Usha Devi, textiles and handloom minister, was given additional charge of planning & coordination- a portfolio held earlier by Singh Deo.

It has been almost a year since Patnaik effected a reshuffle, the last one being in May 2011 - the first such exercise after the BJD romped home with a landslide triumph in the 2009 assembly elections in the state.

The last Cabinet rejig saw elevation of Anjali Behera, minister of state (independent charge) for handloom & textiles to the cabinet rank. Besides, five party MLAs- Usha Devi, Pradeep Maharathy, Lal Bihari Himirika, Maheshwar Mohanty and Niranjan Pujari were given cabinet berths.

The reshuffle was marked by the ouster of three ministers- Damodar Rout, Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha and Prabin Chandra Bhanjdeo who had resigned purportedly at the behest of the chief minister.