Bhubaneswar is agog with speculations that bureaucrat-turned-politician Aparajita Sarangi may get a berth in the new Ministry of Narendra Modi.
Besides, the is likely to include a few other new BJP faces elected from Odisha while retaining incumbents Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram. In the 2014
elections, the BJP had got only one (Oram) Lok Sabha member from Odisha. Pradhan was sent to the Rajya Sabha first from Bihar and then from Madhya Pradesh to be accommodated in the Cabinet.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP Lok Sabha strength in Odisha has increased to eight. Aparajita Sarangi, an IAS officer, was influenced by the BJP national leadership to leave her job to join the party. She was also given ticket to contest from the prestigious Bhubaneswar constituency.
Other names doing the rounds for the Central Cabinet are BJP national general secretary Suresh Pujari, party State president Basant Panda, Pratap Sarangi and Sangita Singh Deo who have been elected to the Parliament.
Notably, in the Cabinet of the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, four Lok Sabha members from Odisha had got important berths.
At least four representatives from Odisha may be taken in the Cabinet this time with a view to strengthening the party organisation further at a time when civic polls are looming in the State.
