BJD MLA from Sambalpur Raseswari Panigrahi and Dibya Shankar Mishra from Kalahandi district, Mangala Kissan from Sundergarh district, Padmanav Behera from Subarnapur district and Debashish Nayak, Pramila Mallick and Amar Prasad Satpathy from Jajpur district have gone on the record expressing discontent over the ministry reshuffle.
Resentment is brewing among BJD MLAs over non-representation of around 12 districts in Naveen Patnaik's council of ministers and a number of legislators, who were eyeing berths during the recent reshuffle, have openly expressed their dissatisfaction.
At least six MLAs have so far come to the fore expressing their dissatisfaction over the manner in which a large number of districts were "ignored" while choosing new ministers.
BJD MLA from Sambalpur Raseswari Panigrahi and Dibya Shankar Mishra from Kalahandi district, Mangala Kissan from Sundergarh district, Padmanav Behera from Subarnapur district and Debashish Nayak, Pramila Mallick and Amar Prasad Satpathy from Jajpur district have gone on the record expressing discontent over the ministry reshuffle.
Over 12 districts, including some backward ones, like Kalahandi, Bolangir, Rayagada, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Malkangiri, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Sundargarh have not been represented in the new council of ministers.
The ministry reshuffle on Sunday is said to be the biggest ever since Patnaik become the chief minister in 2000.
Pramilla Mallick and Debasis Nayak had a close door parley at Amar Prasad Satpathy's residence last night over the possible impact of non-representation of Jajpur in the council of ministers even though all the seven assembly segments of Jajpur district have by BJD legislators.
"People have started asking us why none from Jajpur got a berth in the ministry," Satpathy said.
Nayak termed the ministry as "imbalanced." Supporters of Raseswari Panigrahi and Padmanav Behera have already hit the streets against their leader not being included in the council of ministers.
In Sundargarh, BJD workers expressed their grievances over non-inclusion of tribal leader Mangala Kisan in the ministry and even threatened to leave the party if he was not inducted.
Dibyashankar Mishra, who is also a BJD spokesperson, said lack of a minister from Kalahandi will have an adverse impact on the development prospects of the backward district.
Kalahandi needs representation because it is one of the most backward regions of the state, he said adding, "Not only Kalahandi, the whole of western Odisha needs more representation in the council of ministers." Party spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb said once the chief minister returns from New Delhi he will discuss the issue with the BJD members who have expressed their discontent over the reshuffle.
"It is not possible to make representation of all the 30 districts in the ministry. The number of ministers including the chief minister can be a maximum 22," Deb said.
(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
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