Bhubaneswar: Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was on Wednesday elected leader of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislature party as per expectation. With this, the BJD president is all set to act as the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Odisha Assembly.
Naveen was unanimously elected the leader at the BJD legislature party meeting held under his chairmanship at Sankha Bhawan in Bhubaneswar. The legislature party also elected Rairakhol MLA and former Minister Prasanna Acharya as deputy leader.
Similarly, Pramila Mallik was chosen Chief Whip and Pratap Keshari Deb deputy chief whip at the 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 BJD legislature party,” Naveen said after being chosen leader.
“I have also announced the new post of Prasanna Acharya as the Deputy Leader of the BJD in the legislature, Pramila Mallik as the Chief Whip and Pratap Keshari Deb as the Deputy Chief Whip of the BJD,” he added.