Naveen Patnaik has finalized a 22-member Ministry after a marathon exercise. While preparing the list of Council of Ministers, Patnaik has reportedly given stress on loyalty and clean image.
According to sources, senior leaders like Surya Nrayan Patro and Maheswr Mohanty have not been included in the ministry as Patnaik wants to utilize their services in strengthening the organizational work by forming a core group so as to help the Government in the formation of developmental policies and welfare programmes, apart from implementation of promises given in the poll manifesto. The leaders would act as mentors, sources said.
In the list of Cabinet berths are Dr Damodar Rout, Debi Prasad Mishra, Bikram Keshari Arukh, Badrinaryan Patra, lalbihari Himrika, Bijoyshree Routray, Usha Devi, Jogendra Behera, Pradeep Maharathy, Pushendra Singh Deo and Pradeep Kumar Amat.In the list of Minister of States are Arun Sahu, Ramesh Majhi, Prafulla Mallick, Pranab Prakash Das, Sudam Marnadi Dr Pradeep Panigrahi, Snehangini Chhuria, Asok Kumar Panda, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and Sanjaya Dasburma.
In the wake of the CBI sword hanging on the Government over the chit fund scam and the Enforcement Directorate having initiated the process of tracking the money trail, the BJD supremo has left out a few party heavyweights having alleged links with ponzi firms to avoid political embarrassment.