Naveen Patnaik

The Odisha government has downgraded the security of the state's five-time former chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who is also the leader of opposition, from Z to Y category, an official said on Thursday. Most of the security personnel assigned to Patnaik have been withdrawn after a high-level committee dealing with security issues of important persons recommended the downgrade of the BJD chief's security, he said. Patnaik would now be assigned only two constables in Havildar rank, the official said. "Former chief ministers are provided with two PSOs. Additional security is provided as and when required," he said. As the leader of opposition, Patnaik will be provided with required security by the local police when he undertakes a tour outside Bhubaneswar, he said. However, Patnaik has also personally appointed two senior PSOs who have recently retired from government service. After this year's general elections, when Patnaik lost power after 24 years, the number of security personn

Odisha's former chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Saturday said his party will undertake a detailed study on the One nation, one election' proposal before taking a stand on the subject. During an interaction at the 12th edition of the Odisha Literary Festival organised by the New Indian Express, he said the party will examine the proposal and its execution. Let the details come forth, we will study and take a stand, he said. Replying to a question on the new BJP government in the state, Patnaik said, All can see how the law and order situation in Odisha has declined with the incident of the governor's son at Puri. Recently, an army major and his fiance were harassed violently at a major police station in the capital city. This is not a good record." He referred to the "assault" of an Odia officer allegedly by Governor Raghubar Das' son. The alleged sexual assault of an army officer's fiance at a police station here sparked outrage on Friday with Patnaik condemning

Former Odisha chief minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday said that some people were trying to "distort" history, referring to the controversy surrounding a proposal to change the name of the 156-year-old Ravenshaw University in Cuttack. The idea of the name change was mooted by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Both the BJP and BJD have exchanged words in the assembly over the proposal. Is it Odia asmita' (pride)? It is the moral duty of the nation to respect and be grateful to the great men. Institutions of excellence are built by the sacrifice, dedication and vision of great men. They are the indelible achievements of the nation, Patnaik said on X. BJP legislators have openly supported Pradhan's idea, arguing in favour of the name change of Raveshaw University, as it carries a colonial name. Referring to a recent statement by a BJP MP, which was critical of Fakirmohan Senapati and the Mayurbhanj king, Patnaik said: Vyaskabi Fakirmohan Senapati has made a ..

After being expelled by the BJD for 'anti-party activities', former Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today in Delhi

Former CM Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday said he would be the leader of the opposition in the Odisha assembly. Speaking to reporters, Patnaik said the decision was taken at the BJD's legislature party meeting. "We had a meeting of the MLAs of the BJD. I congratulated and thanked them. They have elected me as the leader of the opposition and leader of the BJD legislature party," he said. Senior MLA Prasanna Acharya was named the deputy leader of the opposition, while former speaker Pramila Mallik would be the chief whip of the opposition in the House. Patnaik named Pratap Keshari Deb as the deputy chief whip of the opposition in the assembly. The BJD, which ruled the state for 24 years, lost power to the BJP in the recently concluded assembly elections.

BJD president and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik is likely to become the Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly as the regional outfit has scheduled its first legislature party meeting on Wednesday. This could be Patnaik's first time as leader of opposition (LoP) in his political career, which began in 1997. Patnaik served as the CM of Odisha five consecutive times from 2000 until June 2024. If Patnaik takes on the role of LoP, the party may elect a deputy leader to handle day-to-day activities in the Assembly, party sources said. In the 147-member Assembly, the BJP has 78 members, followed by the BJD with 51, Congress (14), CPIM 3, and Independents 3. In the last Assembly, the BJD had 113 MLAs. While Patnaik is expected to be unanimously elected as LoP, one of the senior leaders of the party is likely to be his deputy in the House. Given the saffron surge, many senior leaders lost their seats, but a few managed to retain it. Senior BJD leaders who won include Prasanna Ach

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday asked the district administration of Bhadrak to provide immediate health assistance to Babuli Barik, a minor boy suffering from a rare disease. Majhi also told officials concerned to provide Rs 30,000 from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to his family members, according to an official statement. Babuli, 14, is suffering from a rare disease called Traumatic Neuro Motor Disorder and his parents are unable to pay for proper treatment of the minor, it said. As per the direction of Majhi, a team of doctors went to Babuli's village in Madhapur for a check-up, following which he has been referred to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for further treatment, the statement said. The district administration has also been asked to be in touch with the family.

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The swearing-in ceremony for the first BJP government in Odisha has been rescheduled from June 10 to June 12, party leaders Jatin Mohanty and Vijaypal Singh Tomar confirmed here on Sunday. Mohanty explained that the postponement was due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitments. Modi will be busy with his own swearing-in ceremony on Sunday and meeting party MPs the following day. Additionally, the first legislature party meeting of the newly elected members is now set for June 11. During the election campaign, Modi had said Odisha's first BJP government would be sworn in on June 10. BJP state president Manmohan Samal had also confirmed this on Saturday. However, the decision to change the date was taken on Sunday, party sources said. Meanwhile, suspense still remains over the new chief minister. Senior BJP leader and newly elected MLA Suresh Pujari rushed to New Delhi, triggering speculation that he may be among the main contenders for the top post, sources said. Pujari, who

Outgoing CM Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday said that when he took charge of Odisha 70 per cent of the state's population was living below the poverty line, and during his 24-year tenure, he brought it down to 10 per cent. Meeting the newly-elected MLAs of his party, he said the BJD would continue to work for the state. "When I first became the CM, 70 per cent of the people of Odisha were living below the poverty line. Now, only 10 per cent people are below it. Our efforts in agriculture and irrigation sectors and women empowerment have led to this achievement. We have nothing to be ashamed of," he told the MLAs. Patnaik, who also heads the BJD as its president, said that his party has served the people of Odisha for the last 24 years and would continue to work for the state. Earlier in the day, Patnaik tendered his resignation to Governor Raghubar Das, following the defeat of his party in the assembly polls. BJP stormed to power in Odisha by securing 78 of the 147 assembly seats, whi

The Congress on Wednesday took a swipe at the BJD and YSRCP after they suffered crushing defeats in the assembly and Lok Sabha polls, saying that from the BJP's "B-teams" they have become the "has-been" teams. The BJP on Tuesday stormed to power in Odisha by dethroning the BJD which has been in power for the last 24 years. The BJD drew a blank in the Lok Sabha polls. The Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP suffered a crushing defeat in the assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh at the hands of the Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP in the assembly polls. The YSRCP secured just four seats in the Lok Sabha polls. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Over the past ten years, the BJD was the B-team of the BJP in Parliament. It supported Mr. Modi on every issue." "Over the past ten years, YSRCP was another B-team of the BJP, which supported Mr. Modi on every issue. From B-teams, they have become the has-been teams," Ramesh said. This is what happens to regional parties who place their trust in

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

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

PM Modi in Odisha's Baripada questioned if a conspiracy behind CM Naveen Patnaik's declining health, hinting at a viral video showing Patnaik's aide steadying his trembling hand at a rally

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.

BJP's Sambit Patra caused uproar by suggesting Lord Jagannath is a devotee of PM Modi. Patra apologised, vowing to observe fasting as penance amidst ongoing elections

Claiming that the BJP has bagged 310 seats after the completion of five phases of the Lok Sabha polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday urged the people of Odisha to free the state from babu-raj and allow the BJP to form government at the Centre and also in the state. Addressing an election rally in Sambalpur where the BJP has fielded Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Shah said this time lotus, the party's symbol, will bloom in Odisha. After the fifth phase of polls, the BJP has already bagged 310 seats. We will secure 400 plus seats after the sixth and seventh rounds of polls," He also alleged that the state has been ruled by a "handful of officers" and this election will end the ongoing babu raj in the state. Shah also accused the BJD government of insulting Odisha's pride, language, culture and tradition. The BJD government wants to convert the Jagannath temple to a commercial centre. The mutts and temples have been destroyed and all four gates of the temple are yet to

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is contesting from the seat, in addition to his traditional Hinjili constituency in Ganjam, which too suffers from migration

Holding a roadshow in the Odisha capital in support of party candidates, BJP president J P Nadda on Thursday asserted that people of the state have "decided to give rest" to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik by electing the saffron party to power. Nadda, who was standing in a saffron-coloured open-hood vehicle flanked by Bhubaneswar's BJP MP and candidate Aparajita Sarangi and Ekamra-Bhubaneswar assembly seat's party nominee Babu Singh, was seen waving at crowds on both sides of the road during the roadshow from Mausina Chhak to Lingaraj temple. People greeted the BJP president and showered petals on him from buildings on either side of the road, while BJP workers participating in the roadshow waved party flags and raised slogans. Speaking to reporters during the three-km roadshow, Nadda said people's enthusiasm indicates that they have "decided to give rest" to Naveen Patnaik, who has been ruling Odisha for the last 24 years, and elect a BJP government in the state. Referring to the .

Lok Sabha elections live: Voting is underway in 96 LS seats across 10 states. Andhra Pradesh and Odisha also have their assembly polls scheduled today