Naveen Patnaik takes oath as Odisha Chief Minister for fifth term: Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday took oath as the Chief Minister of Odisha for the fifth consecutive time in a row. He has now become one of the longest-serving chief ministers of the coastal state. Patnaik swearing-in ceremony took place at the Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar, where he took the oath along with other cabinet ministers. Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal administered the oath, who on Tuesday evening appointed 11 cabinet ministers and 9 ministers of state on the recommendations of Patnaik.
During the Odisha Assembly elections 2019, which took place along with Lok Sabha elections, Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal, won 112 seats out of 147-membered Odisha assembly in the polls. While the political pundits predicted hung assembly due to huge anti-incumbency, the BJD came back to power with a huge mandate as it won just 5 seats less than what it won in the 2014 polls. Gita Mehta, prominent Indian writer and sister of Naveen Patnaik was also present at the swearing-in ceremony of Naveen Patnaik.
Odisha Chief Minister had also invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the swearing-in ceremony, however, the PM did not attend the ceremony. PM Modi did congratulate Patnaik on his win and gave wishes to him and his teams in fulfilling the aspiration of Odisha’s people. He further assured complete corporation from the centre in working for Odisha’s progress. It was the first time that a CM took oath outside Raj Bhavan.
Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Naveen Patnaik won the 5th term while the Dharmendra Pradhan-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tried to make inroads in Patnaik’s bastion after the success of Panchayat elections. The BJD, BJP, BSP, CPI(M) and Congress were the key political parties in the fray in the Assembly elections.
