Panda elected leader of BJP legislature party in Odisha

Basanta Panda was today unanimously elected as the leader of BJP legislature party in Odisha.
The election of Panda, two-time MLA from Nuapada, was announced by senior BJP leader and Union Environment and Forest and Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar after a meeting of the legislature party here.
"The name of Panda was proposed by BJP's Odisha unit president K V Singhdeo and all the MLAs present at the meeting put their stamp of approval," Javadekar who was here to oversee the process told reporters.
Nine of the ten party legislators were present at the meeting and all of them endorsed the name of Panda, he said adding only Dilip Ray, MLA from Rourkela and former Union Minister, who was away also gave his approval over phone.

Asserting that Panda's unanimous election as BJPLP leader proved the party's belief in democratic principles, Javdekar said BJP always encourages young and dynamic leaders. Unlike some political parties which are bogged down with dynastic politics, BJP is guided by dynamism and because of this it is now ahead, he said.
Referring to Odisha, the Union Minister said though BJP won only one Lok Sabha and ten assembly seats in Odisha in the recent elections, the party's vote share has registered about 50 per cent jump compared to the previous polls.
Increase in BJP's vote share sounds like a warning bell for the ruling BJD in Odisha as the difference between votes bagged by the two parties is not very big, Javdekar claimed.

Extending thanks to partymen for his unanimous election as legislature party leader, Panda said BJP MLAs would sincerely highlight the problems being faced by people belonging to all sections in the assembly and try to get them solved.