Odisha gets tribal CM in Mohan Charan Majhi, 2 deputy CMs

Bhubaneswar: BJP’s tribal leader Mohan Charan Majhi will be the new chief minister of Odisha, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced here on Tuesday.

KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida were made deputy chief ministers of the state, he said.

The decisions were taken at the BJP legislature party meeting attended by Singh and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav as observers.

“Mohan Majhi has been elected by the legislature party unanimously,” Singh told reporters.

Mohan Charan Majhi, 52, defeated Mina Majhi of the BJD by 11,577 votes from the Keonjhar assembly constituency.

The chief whip of the BJP in the previous assembly, he was elected to the assembly for the fourth time.

KV Singh Seo who was named a deputy chief minister defeated Saroj Kumar Meher of the BJD by 1357 votes from Patnagarh, while the other deputy CM Pravati Parida beat BJD leader Dilip Kumar Nayak by 4588 votes from Nimapara.

The new government will take oath at Janata Maidan here on Wednesday.