The politics of Odisha are part of India’s federal parliamentary representative democracy, where the union government exercises sovereign rights. Certain powers are reserved to the states, including Odisha. The state has a multi-party system, in which the two main parties are the Indian National Congress (INC) and the regional, socialist Biju Janata Dal (BJD). The nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also gained ground.
Politics
The politics of Odisha are part of India's federal parliamentary representative democracy, where the union government exercises sovereign rights. Certain powers are reserved to the states, including Odisha. The state has a multi-party system, in which the two main parties are the Indian National Congress (INC) and the regional, socialist Biju Janata Dal (BJD). The nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also gained ground.
The BJD has the largest number of seats in the Odisha Legislative Assembly. Odisha's chief minister is BJD leader Naveen Patnaik, who has led a government since March 2000. Other parties represented in the assembly are the BJP, the Congress Party and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The next assembly election is scheduled for May 2024.
Odisha is represented by 21 members of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament. They are elected from geographic constituencies. In the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of parliament), the state is represented by 10 members who are elected by the legislative assembly.
The government of the Indian state of Odisha and its 30 districts consists of an executive, led by the Governor of Odisha, a judiciary, and a legislative branch.
Like other states in India, the head of state of Odisha is the Governor, appointed by the President of India on the advice of the Central government. His or her post is largely ceremonial. The Chief Minister is the head of government and is vested with most of the executive powers. Bhubaneswar is the capital of Odisha, and houses the Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) and the secretariat. The Orissa High Court, located in Cuttack, has jurisdiction over the whole state
The present Legislative Assembly of Odisha is unicameral, consisting of 147 Member of the Legislative Assembly (M.L.A). Its term is 5 years, unless sooner dissolved.
The state of Odisha is represented at the centre by its 21 Member of Parliaments in the Lok Sabha and 10 Member of Parliaments in Rajya Sabha. There are 21 Lok Sabha constituencies from which candidates gets elected in the General Election to the Lok Sabha. The Members of Rajya Sabha were elected and / or nominated by the Member of Legislative Assembly through their parent political parties..
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Dharmendra Pradhan
Dharmendra entered into the realm of politics as a member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
Dharmendra Pradhan
Talk of politicians who started young and Union Minister and BJP’s dynamic face Dharmendra Pradhan instantly comes to mind.
Son of former Union Minister Debendra Pradhan, Dharmendra’s interest in politics grew from a very early age. Dharmendra entered into the realm of politics as a member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). In 1985, he was elected as President of Talcher College Students’ Union. He actively participated in the students’ movements and was soon elected as the national secretary of ABVP and subsequently of Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha from 2004 to 2006. While he was the president of the Yuva Morcha, he participated in campaigns related to reservations on the basis of religion.
Dharmendra became a member of 12th Assembly of Odisha (2000-2004) after being elected from Pallahara constituency. It was in 2004 that Pradhan entered into national politics. His father who was a minister in the AB Vajpayee Government was a MP from Deogarh constituency. He left his seat in 2004 paving the way for his son. Dharmendra won the Lok Sabha elections of 2004 from the constituency.
In 2012, he was elected as the member of Rajya Sabha from Bihar. Efficiently delivering responsibilities assigned to him, he rose up the ranks in the party. Promoted as Cabinet Minister in September 2017, currently, he is the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in the Narendra Modi-led NDA Government. He has also been re-elected to the Rajya Sabha in March 2018 from Madhya Pradesh.
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Sambit Patra
Sambit Patra is contesting the Puri Lok Sabha seat in 2019 lections. He forayed into politics in 2010 when he was appointed the spokesperson of BJP's Delhi unit.
Sambit Patra
Sambit Patra is contesting the Puri Lok Sabha seat in 2019 lections. A doctor by profession, Patra did his MBBS from VSS Medical College and Hospital, Burla, Sambalpur, Odisha in 1997. Subsequently, he got through the UPSC combined medical services in 2003 and was appointed Medical Officer in Hindu Rao Hospital, Delhi. He forayed into politics in 2010 when he was appointed the spokesperson of BJP's Delhi unit.
