After 24 years, former CM Naveen Patnaik takes new role; appointed LoP in Odisha Assembly

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Naveen Patnaik has been appointed as Leader of Opposition in Odisha assembly by Biju Janata Dal.

, «We just had a meeting of the BJD MLAs who have been elected to the recent elections. I congratulated and thanked them. They have elected me as the LoP and the leader of the Biju Legislative Party. 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...» said Patnaik on being appointed as LoP in Odisha assembly.

The narrative of Patnaik's defeat was twofold. Not only had he lost his chief minister's chair, held firmly since 2000, but he also faced an unexpected defeat in Kantabanji, which he contested alongside his traditional Hinjili assembly seat.

In Hinjili, Patnaik clung to victory by a slender margin of 4,636 votes.

BJP stormed to power in Odisha by securing 78 of the 147 assembly seats, while the BJD managed to win only 51 seats. Congress bagged 14 constituencies and CPI (M) secured one, while three Independent candidates also emerged victorious. The results were announced on Tuesday. Patnaik had for the first time taken oath as the chief minister of Odisha on March 5, 2000.
(more to come)