BJP to announce new chief minister of Odisha today

Bhubaneswar: Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Bhupinder Singh Yadav will attend the BJP's first legislative party meeting on Tuesday to select the new chief minister of the state.
The BJP is all set to form the first BJP govt in Odisha since 1952 after winning 78 seats in the 147-strong assembly in a landmark election.
Brajarajnagar MLA Suresh Pujari, state BJP president Manmohan Samal besides MLAs Mohan Majhi and Mukesh Mahaling are among the contenders for the coveted post though the possibility of the BJP springing a surprise is not ruled out.BJP insiders said non-controversial, accessible and soft-spoken Pujari, is a strong contender.
A former BJP state unit president, the former MP has worked as BJP secretary in charge of Tripura and West Bengal. Cut-outs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will attend the oath-taking ceremony on Wednesday, have been put up at different places in the city.
CM-designate to visit Puri temple before taking oath
Many Union ministers, chief ministers of NDA-governed states and outgoing Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik will attend the event.
BJP functionaries asked people to be part of the ceremony at Janata Maidan on Wednesday evening and light two lamps in their houses to mark the beginning of the "double engine" govt.
Addressing a news conference at the BJP office, former Union minister and Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi said formation of BJP govt is not just a change of party in power. "It marks a historic occasion when democracy is restored and marks the end of 24 black years of corruption and nepotism. People who played with Odia Asmita were shown the door," said Sarangi.
Sarangi appealed to the people to light two lamps, one to celebrate the formation of first BJP govt in Odisha and the second for return of Modi govt to power for a third term.
Sources said before taking oath, the CM-designate, who is yet to be named, will visit Jagannath Temple in Puri, seeking blessings of the Lord. All the four Puri temple gates are likely to be reopened to the public the very same day the BJP govt takes over, party sources said. It was a poll promise of the saffron party.
The stretch of Rajpath, starting from Raj Bhavan to the swearing-in venue, has been decked up. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the event.