No new thought on ministry reshuffle: Naveen Patnaik

Ending speculation over a reshuffle in his over one-year-old ministry, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday said he is yet to think about it.

“No new thoughts on the ministry reshuffle,” Patnaik told reporters on his return from New Delhi.

The Chief Minister’s statement was significant as BJD leaders had already started lobbying with an eye on a possible ministerial berth and the political circles were abuzz that Patnaik might go for a reshuffle after the Nabakalebar festival of Lord <g data-gr-id="30">Jagannth</g>. Several members of Naveen’s council of ministers were criticised for their roles in the Nabakalebar festival.

While Law minister Arun Kumar Sahoo was accused of sleeping in the <g data-gr-id="33">Daitapati</g> priests’ camp during 

‘Banajaga Jatra’ (log selection for making new idols), Agriculture minister Pradeep Kumar Maharathy had been criticised for sitting on the cart carrying the sacred logs of Lord <g data-gr-id="35">Jagannth</g>. This apart, Cooperation minister Damodar Rout and Industries minister Debi Prasad Mishra were also shown by television channels of entering into the secret place during the <g data-gr-id="38">Banajaga</g> Jatra. Some other senior MLAs were also spotted taking advantage of coming near to the Lord’s sacred log.

There <g data-gr-id="26">were</g> strong criticism across the state against ruling party leaders, ministers and MLAs getting privileged treatment during the festival thronged by lakhs. “Keeping the incidents of irregularities committed by certain ministers during the Nabakalebar festival, we were thinking that Patnaik will go for a reshuffle,” said a senior BJD MLA on condition of anonymity. There were also talks of a rejig in the bureaucracy as some officers were held responsible for irregularities during the Nabakalebar festival.

However, party sources said Patnaik stopped the reshuffles as the Rath Yatra, return car festival, Suna Besha (golden attire) and other functions were successfully over.