BHUBANESWAR: While several old hands have been elected as presidents of organisational districts of BJD, more than half of them are new faces.
The ruling BJD on Friday announced presidents of 33 organisational districts, election for which was held last month.
While 14 district presidents are known faces in the party, 19 are new to organisational matters.
Former mayor of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and BJD legislator from Bhubaneswar (Central) Anant Narayan Jena has been elected president of Bhubaneswar organisational district. He will replace Amaresh Jena.
Similarly, senior leaders and former MLAs Debasis Samantray and Ramesh Chandra Chau Patnaik have been elected as president of Cuttack and Ganjam organisational districts.
Sources in the party said as elections to the urban local bodies (ULBs) are likely later this year, return of experienced leaders will help the party during the polls.
Several ministers have also been elected as district presidents.
While Minister for Child and Women Development Tukuni Sahu will take charge of Balangir district, Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick will continue as president of Dhenkanal district.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sudam Marndi has been elected president of Mayurbhanj district, senior leader Kashinath Hembrum will take charge of organisational matters of Mayurbhanj Sadar.
After his name was announced as president of Bhubaneswar organisational district, Jena said the party will be strengthened with the combined effort of all workers. Stating that elections to BMC will be a big challenge, he said, “We will try to ensure smooth implementation of all schemes and projects which have been rolled out.”
Presidents
Mahendra Bastia: Angul
Jagannath Swain: Bhadrak
Mahidhar Rana: Boudh
Romancha Ranjan Biswal: Deogarh
Pradip Nayak: Gajapati
Prasanta Muduli: Jagatsinghpur
Saroj Mohapatra: Jajpur
Saroj Kumar Karna: Kandhamal
Utkal Keshari Parida: Kendrapara
Madhav Sardar: Keonjhar
Bibhuti Bhusan Balabantaray: Khurda
Iswar Panigrahi: Koraput
Purna Chandra Baka: Malkangiri
Ramesh Behera: Nayagarh
Manoj Mishra: Nuapada
Sidhartha Das: Sambalpur
Saroj Kampa : Subarnapur
Binay Toppo: Sundargarh
Experienced hands
Rabindra
Kumar Jena
Balasore
Bijay Ranjan
Singh Bariha
Bargarh
Kishore Mohanty Jharsuguda
Pushpendra Singh
Kalahandi
Ramesh
Chandra Majhi
Nabarangpur
Maheswar Mohanty
Puri
Sarada
Prasad Nayak
Rourkela