We will be positive towards Delhi: Naveen Patnaik

BHUBANESWAR: BJD chief Naveen Patnaik thanked the people of Odisha after his party`s spectacular win in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections and told TOI in an interview that development programmes, anti-poverty projects and a transparent and clean government was what worked in the party`s favour.

"This has been a much larger victory. This was the first time that we went to the polls without any ally," he said.

"We will be positive towards the Centre, and hope that it would respond to the genuine demands of Odisha," Patnaik added.

The BJD leader was evasive on the question of supporting NDA and said that the party`s immediate priority would be to focus on welfare schemes, tribal development, infrastructure improvement and industrialization. "We are keen on big investments coming to our state," he said.

The new state ministry is likely to take oath of office here on May 21, sources said on Saturday. Party sources said Naveen, who will take over as CM for the fourth successive term, is expected to retain most of the ministers such as Bijayshree Routray, S N Patro, Debi Prasad Mishra, Damodar Rout, Usha Devi, L B Himirika, Usha Devi, B K Arukh, Badrinarayan Patra, Niranjan Pujari, Ramesh Majhi, Arun Sahu, Rajanikant Singh and Subrat Tarei.

Going by the Sarkaria Commission recommendations, Odisha should have a 22-member ministry. But Naveen might go for one less, party sources said.
Party sources said Naveen would call on governor S C Jamir at Raj Bhavan on Monday and stake claim to form the government. "We will all work together with renewed effort for the development of Odisha and its people," Naveen told media persons soon after he was chosen as BJDLP chief at the first meeting the party`s newly elected MLAs at the party headquarters here. He also thanked the party MLAs for electing him as their leader.

V Sugnana Kumari Deo, who became an MLA for the 10th time, proposed Naveen`s candidature for the post and BJD vice-president Damodar Rout seconded it. The election was a mere ritual as Naveen was BJD`s undisputed leader, something that was reflected on stage: He was the only person on it.

Naveen, who spearheaded BJD to an overwhelming win in the assembly polls by winning 117 of the 147 seats, has been the chief minister since March 5 2000.

The BJD`s stupendous electoral show gives Naveen a free hand to pick his team. Though hectic lobbying is on within the regional party for ministerial berths and other plum posts, no leader is openly expressing a claim for it.