New faces in Odisha cabinet: Bikram, Sarada, Sudam

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet is poised for a minor reshuffle as three MLAs are all set to take oath as Cabinet Ministers. Governor Ganeshi Lal will administer the oath of office to Bikram Keshari Arukha, Sudam Marndi, and Sarada Prasad Nayak on Monday.

According to reports, the MLAs have received phone calls instructing them to take the oath as Cabinet Ministers the following day. Bikram Keshari Arukha, MLA from Bhanjanagar, who had previously resigned as the Odisha Assembly Speaker, was asked by the Chief Minister to rejoin the cabinet. Likewise, Sarada Prasad Nayak from Rourkela and Sudam Marndi from Bangirposhi will be included in the cabinet.

The swearing-in ceremony for the new Ministers is scheduled to take place at 9:50 am tomorrow at the convention Hall of Lok Seva Bhavan in Bhubaneswar.

The cabinet reshuffle comes after the murder of Health Minister Nab Das and the resignations of School and Mass Education Minister Sameer Ranjan Dash and Labour Minister Srikant Sahu. These vacancies left the cabinet with three open positions.

As the new ministers prepare to take their oath, Governor Ganeshi Lal arrived in Bhubaneswar this evening from his hometown visit in Haryana.

Currently, the Odisha Council of Ministers consists of 19 ministers instead of the full capacity of 22, including the Chief Minister.