Legislators of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today chose Nuapada MLA, Basant Panda as the party head in the Odisha assembly at a meeting at the party headquarters here.
“Out of 10 MLAs, nine attended the meeting and they unanimously chose Basant Panda as their leader. When I asked if is there was any second name, no one proposed any name except Panda,” said Union minister for Environment & Forest and Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar, who attended the meeting as an observer.
Dillip Ray, BJP MLA from Rourkela gave his consent for nomination of Panda over the phone as he was in Delhi, he added.
Earlier, Ray was touted as a prime contender for the post and his absence today fuelled rumour of his displeasure over the party decision. However, BJP leaders denied any such dissension by members.
New legislative party leader, Panda downplayed the absence of Ray from today's meeting, saying that the Rourkela MLA had already conveyed to Javadekar the reason for his absence on Thursday.
After his nomination to the post, Panda said, the party would effectively raise a host of issues relating to the chit fund and mining scams, distress sale of paddy and large scale migration of labourers in the assembly. “We will oppose the government if it takes any anti-people measures, but we will give support if it takes people-friendly steps,” he said.
The selection of BJP legislative leader was pending since June 11 this year due to busy schedule of Javadekar, who was asked to oversee the process. As he was in charge of two ministries at the Centre, he could not find time to visit the state and the selection process was deferred to July. BJP state unit chief, K V Singhdeo was acting as the leader of the party in the assembly.
