Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President Naveen Patnaik has been unanimously elected as the Leader of Opposition in the 17th Odisha Legislative Assembly. This decision was made during the BJD legislature party meeting held at Sankha Bhawan on Wednesday.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Patnaik said, “We just had a meeting of the BJD MLAs who have been elected in the recent elections. I congratulated and thanked them. They have elected me as the Leader of the Opposition and the leader of the Biju Legislative Party.”
In addition to this significant announcement, Patnaik revealed new key positions within the BJD legislative framework. Prasanna Acharya will serve as the Deputy Leader of the BJD in the legislature, Pramila Mallik has been appointed as the Chief Whip, and Pratap Keshari Deb will take on the role of Deputy Chief Whip.
The Biju Janata Dal secured 51 seats in the recently concluded 17th Assembly Elections in the state, solidifying its presence and influence in the Odisha Legislative Assembly.