Page 22 - Odisha

BJP appoints Rajnath, Bhupendra Yadav to oversee selection of new Odisha CM

The BJP has appointed Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Bhupendra Yadav to oversee selection of the new chief minister of Odisha, a senior leader said on Monday. The saffron party on June 4 secured a majority by winning 78 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly. However, the party is yet to choose a leader who will be at the helm of the state. According to Vijay Pal Singh Tomar, the BJP's Odisha in-charge, the legislature party meeting will be held on Tuesday and the new government will take oath on June 12. Experienced leaders led by newly-appointed observers Rajnath Singh and Bhupender Yadav will hold a discussion with the legislators, MLA-elect Suresh Pujari, told reporters on his return from New Delhi on Monday. While the chance of senior Odisha MP Dharmendra Pradhan becoming the next chief minister of the state seems bleak after his induction into the Modi 3.0 government, the focus is now on Brajarajnagar MLA-elect Suresh Pujari, who returned from New Delhi on Monday. Beside

Southwest monsoon sets in over Odisha, four days ahead of schedule: IMD

The Southwest Monsoon set in over Odisha on Saturday, four days ahead of its schedule, and covered parts of Malkangiri district, the met office said. The IMD also forecast that thunderstorms with lightning accompanied by gusty surface windspeed reaching 30-40 kmph are likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada on Sunday. Southwest Monsoon has set in over Odisha today. It covered some parts of Malkangiri district of Odisha, the regional centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Bhubaneswar, said in its evening bulletin on Saturday. The met department said that the monsoon hit Kerala on June 5 and advanced over the entire south Arabian Sea, some parts of the central Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep, parts of coastal and south interior Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and parts of the Bay of Bengal before reaching Odisha's Malkangiri. Meanwhile, it said that the heat wave conditions are likely to prevail a

Naveen Patnaik's close aide Pandian quits politics after BJD's defeat

VK Pandian announced his withdrawal from politics following Biju Janata Dal's (BJD) defeat in the Odisha state Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in 2024

Odisha Assembly polls: 73% of newly elected MLAs are 'crorepatis'

Seventy-three per cent of the newly elected MLAs in Odisha are 'crorepatis' with BJD's Sanatan Mahakud the richest legislator having total assets worth Rs 227.67 crore, a report said. The Odisha Assembly has 147 members. Odisha Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 147 elected MLA candidates and found that 73 per cent of the newly elected MLAs in 2024 are 'crorepatis' while 95 (65 per cent) 'crorepati' MLAs were elected in 2019 polls. Out of 107 crorepati MLAs, 52 candidates are from BJP, 43 from BJD, 9 from Congress, 1 from CPI (M) and 2 independent candidates. The BJP won 78 Assembly seats while BJD secured 51, Congress 14, three independent nominees emerged victorious and CPI (M) won one seat in the 2024 Assembly polls. Out of the 147 winning candidates, 85 candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves, which includes 67 candidates who are facing serious criminal cases. As per the report, 46 out

Odisha CM likely to be chosen in BJP Parliamentary Party meet on June 7

The chief minister of Odisha's maiden government of the BJP is likely to be selected during its Parliamentary Party meeting in New Delhi on Friday, leaders of the saffron camp said. The BJP trounced the BJD, which was ruling the state for 24 years in a row, winning 78 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly. Three of these 78 MLAs were ministers in the state earlier but it is not essential that the chief minister would be chosen from among the new assembly members only, a senior BJP leader said on Thursday. Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was elected from Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency, however, is also one of the front-runners for the chief minister's job. Besides him, names of senior MLAs Suresh Pujari, Jayanarayan Mishra and K V Singh Deo are also doing the rounds as probable candidates for the chair. "The Parliamentary Party is the highest decision-making body of the BJP and it will meet in New Delhi tomorrow," Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi said. The Parliamentary

Odisha Election Results: How did BJP end Naveen Patnaik’s 24-year rule?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s prediction that June 4 would be the expiry date for Naveen Patnaik’s 24-year rule in Odisha just got real! he Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 78 seats in the 147-member

Lok Sabha elections results 2024: Key seats where INDIA could not stop BJP

Despite facing setback in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP maintained a stronghold in many states and secured all seats in Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Tripura

Naveen Patnaik resigns as CM day after BJP wins Odisha Assembly elections

Naveen Patnaik's resignation comes after his party, BJD, managed to secure only about 50 seats, falling significantly short of the majority mark of 74 seats in the 147-member Assembly

Intense heatwave: Sunstroke related death toll mounts to 34 in Odisha

Sunstroke-related deaths rose to 34 in Odisha this summer, with four more confirmed cases, an official statement said on Tuesday. Till Tuesday, 149 cases of suspected sunstroke deaths have been reported, of which 34 have been confirmed due to heat-related illness, while 24 cases were not due to sunstroke. The remaining 91 cases are pending inquiry, the statement issued by the state's Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) said. Two suspected sunstroke deaths were reported during the last 24 hours, it added. As of June 3, a total of 147 suspected sunstroke deaths were reported in the state, and of them, 30 cases were confirmed, and it was found that another 20 deaths happened due to other causes, the statement said. The government has asked districts to ensure post-mortem examination of every suspected sunstroke death for sanction of ex-gratia. Also, a joint inquiry by the local revenue officer and the local medical officer needs to be conducted to ascertain the exact cause of each dea

Odisha election result 2024: BJP crosses majority mark, BJD trails behind

In Odisha, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has surpassed the halfway mark, while the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) led by Naveen Patnaik is currently trailing

Heatwave: Odisha records 45 deaths in last 24 hours, toll hits 141

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast said heatwave conditions are likely to continue in five western districts of Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada, Sonepur, and Kalahandi till Wednesday

Will win at least 12 LS seats, 110 Assembly constituencies in Odisha: BJD

The ruling BJD on Sunday asserted that the party would form the government in Odisha with a two-thirds majority by winning at least 110 of the 147 assembly constituencies in the state. The party said it would bag at least 12 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the eastern state. Rejecting exit polls that predicted that the BJP would win 15 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, the BJD said that exit polls for the state have proved to be wrong in 2014 and 2019 elections and the trend would continue this time as well. "We are well poised to retain power in the state with a two-thirds majority in the assembly. Like in 2014 and 2019, this time as well the exit polls will be proved wrong," BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra said. "Based on our surveys, analysis and feedback from the ground level, we expect to win at least 12 Lok Sabha seats and 110 seats in the assembly... we will form a strong and stable government in the state," he said. Exit polls have awarded 15 seats to BJP and five to BJD in Odisha. S

Lok Sabha elections Phase 7: 49.68% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm

Lok Sabha polls 2024 Phase 7 voter turnout: At more than 60 per cent, Jharkhand recorded the highest voter turnout at 3 pm, Bihar had the lowest at 42.95 per cent

2024 Odisha Legislative Assembly elections: Here's all you need to know

As voting is currently underway in the fourth phase of the Odisha Assembly polls 2024, here's a quick look at the assembly seats, polling dates and key candidates

Lok Sabha polls 2024 Phase 7: Over 40% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm

Lok Sabha polls 2024 Phase 7 voter turnout: Himachal Pradesh had the highest voter turnout at 48.63

LS polls: 37.64% turnout till 1 pm in 6 LS, 42 assembly seats in Odisha

Polling commenced for six Lok Sabha constituencies and 42 assembly seats in Odisha on Saturday morning, amid tight security, a poll official said. Voting began at 7 am in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, and Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seats, along with the 42 assembly segments that constitute these parliamentary constituencies. Polling will continue till 6 pm as there are no Maoist-hit zones under these Lok Sabha seats, the official added. Approximately 1 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes across 10,882 booths in the fourth and final round of simultaneous elections in the state. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) NB Dhal assured that adequate arrangements have been made for voters' convenience at all booths, considering the prevailing hot and humid weather conditions. In all, 36,000 security personnel and 72,000 polling officials have been deployed for this round of twin polls in the state. Sixty-six candidates are contesting for the six Lok Sabha seats, whil

Puri firecracker explosion: Toll reaches 8, 22 others undergoing treatment

The death toll in the explosion of a stockpile of firecrackers in Odisha's Puri mounted to eight on Saturday after two more persons undergoing treatment succumbed to their injuries, a senior official said. At least 30 people were injured in the explosion that happened during Lord Jagannath's Chandan Jatra on Wednesday night. Among them, eight persons have died so far and 22 others are undergoing treatment in different hospitals in Puri, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, the official of Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) office said. "Two more people succumbed to their injuries in hospitals, while 22 others are undergoing treatment," he said, adding a few more people are in a critical condition. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ordered an inquiry into the incident, and announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased. The Puri collector has already taken steps for the payment of Rs 4 lakh each towards ex-gratia assistance to the next of kin of the deceased,

Lok Sabha polls 2024 Phase 7: Over 26.3% voter turnout recorded till 11 am

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Seventh phase will see voting in 57 of 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, across seven states and one UT

LS polls: BJP has insulted people of Odisha, Lord Jagannath, alleges Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the BJP of insulting the people of Odisha as one of its leaders recently claimed that Lord Jagannath is a devotee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing an election rally in Simulia in the Bhadrak Lok Sabha seat, he also vowed to save the Constitution of India and democracy in the country. The BJP has insulted every individual of Odisha as one of its leaders claimed that Lord Jagannath is a devotee of PM Modi," Gandhi said. BJP's Puri Lok Sabha candidate Sambit Patra had recently made the remark. Embroiled in a controversy over his "slip of the tongue" on Lord Jagannath, Patra apologised and announced that he would undertake a penance by observing fast for three days. The Congress leader alleged that the BJP and its allies are united to destroy democracy and the Constitution of the country. No force on the earth can destroy our Constitution. You cannot even touch the Constitution by utilising all your forces, Gandhi said in an

LS polls: 'In good health, campaigning,' says Naveen Patnaik to PM Modi

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday said that he was in good health and campaigning for the Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections for the past one month. "He (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) has stated publicly earlier that I am his good friend. All he had to do was pick up a telephone and ask me about my health. But a number of BJP people from Odisha and Delhi are spreading rumours about my health. Let me assure the PM that I am in perfect health and I have been campaigning in the state for the last one month," Patnaik said. Patnaik's statement came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in three back-to-back election rallies stated that the Odisha Chief Minister was not in a state to do his routine duties. The prime minister also said that if BJP comes to power in the state, it will set up a committee to ascertain the reason behind the sudden worsening of Patnaik's health.