Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is set to take on a new role as Leader of the Opposition following his party, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), losing the state assembly elections to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This marks a significant shift for Patnaik, who has never lost an election since his first Lok Sabha victory in 1997 and has served as Chief Minister for five consecutive terms since the BJD’s first assembly contest in 2000.In a recent meeting, BJD legislators unanimously elected Patnaik as their leader in the opposition. Senior MLA Prasanna Acharya has been appointed as the deputy leader, former speaker Pramila Mallik as the chief whip, and former minister Pratap Keshari Deb as the deputy chief whip.Patnaik expressed gratitude to the BJD MLAs and discussed various matters, including the recent election results, during their meeting. Despite the loss, the BJD still holds the highest vote share at 40.22%, narrowly surpassing BJP’s 40.07%. A BJD leader, speaking anonymously, emphasized the party’s resolve to bounce back under Patnaik’s leadership, acknowledging the public mandate while also highlighting their vote share supremacy.
Naveen Patnaik Elected Leader of Opposition After BJD’s Defeat in Odisha Assembly Elections
