CM Majhi Meets Governor Amid Cabinet Expansion Buzz

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday metChief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at the Raj Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, fueling speculation over a possible expansion of the state Cabinet.

In a post on social media platform X, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) described the meeting as a “courtesy visit.” However, political circles are abuzz with the belief that Majhi may have discussed his plans to expand the Cabinet during the meeting.

The speculation gains weight following recent remarks by BJP Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal, who hinted that a Cabinet expansion could be on the cards soon.

After securing a majority in the 2024 Assembly elections, the BJP formed the government in Odisha with Majhi at the helm. He constituted a 16-member Council of Ministers, which included two Deputy Chief Ministers, eight Cabinet Ministers, and six Ministers of State with independent charge.

Several ministers were assigned multiple portfolios, while the Chief Minister retained control over key departments such as General Administration, Home, Finance, Water Resources, and Information & Public Relations (I&PR).

With the BJP government completing over a year in office, political analysts suggest that Majhi has the option to induct at least five more ministers into the Cabinet. A reshuffle of existing portfolios is also considered likely as the administration gears up to fine-tune governance and performance delivery.

An official announcement regarding Cabinet expansion is yet to be made.