Dharmendra Pradhan, Suresh Pujari and Girish Murmu front-runners for Odisha CM post

Bhubaneswar: People in Odisha are waiting with bated breath to know as to who is going to be the new chief minister of the state to succeed the outgoing CM Naveen Patnaik. At least half-a-dozen names, including that of the newly elected Lok Sabha members, Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and former bureaucrats, are doing the rounds in political circles.

The highly probable names, among others, include Dharmendra Pradhan, Baijayanth Jay Panda , Girish Murmu, Suresh Pujari and Mohan Charan Majhi.

Mr Pradhan, Union minister for a decade and the party's Lok Sabha member from Sambalpur, has years of experience in both BJP organisational affairs and governance system. He was the BJP’s poster-boy in the 2019 elections. Besides, Pradhan has been the party's election in-charge in Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Odisha. His high background and rich profile, including the administrative experience, is seen to give him an edge.

The other draw, according to political analysts, is that Mr Pradhan's seat, Sambhalpur, is considered one of the safest seats in the state, so anyone replacing him will not have a tough time.

The other key BJP leader of the state, Baijayant Jay Panda, is the BJP's MP from Kendrapara. He also holds the position of BJP national vice president. He has been elected to Lok Sabha thrice from Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat. Besides, he was elected to Rajya Sabha for one term.

Panda holds a management and an engineering degree from the United States, led a successful career in the corporate world before switching to politics. The third is veteran MP, former Union minister and tribal face Jual Oram, who just won the election from the Sundergarh Lok Sabha constituency.

Former Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and ex-governor of J & K, Girish Murmu’s name is also being widely discussed. Mohan Charan Majhi, a four-time MLA from Keonjhar. He is a known scheduled caste leader. Two-time MLA Mukesh Mahaling, two-time MLA and SC leader Suryavanshi Suraj and Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha MP Aparajita Sarangi are also in the race for CM.

The state leadership Manmohan Samal is camping out in Delhi to resolve the knotty issue. If a final call is taken within the next two days by the party's central leadership, the oath ceremony could be held on June 10, sources said.

In the results declared on Tuesday, the BJP was found to have unseated the 24-year government of Naveen Patnaik with 78 of the 147 assembly seats. The BJD won 51 seats.