Bhubaneswar, Oct 18 (IANS) Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader Braj Mohan Ram assumed office as the Governor of Odisha at a swearing-in ceremony held at Lok Bhavan in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. The Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court, Justice Harish Tandon, administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new governor.
Ram, one of the prominent Dalit faces of the BJP in Jharkhand, replaced Hari Babu Kambhampati as the governor. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, other senior ministers, opposition leaders and officials also graced the event.
The new Governor was accorded a guard of honour following the swearing-in ceremony held at the Abhishek Hall of Lok Bhavan here.
Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony, Ram visited the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri on Saturday, accompanied by his mother and wife, to offer prayers and seek the blessings of Lord Jagannath. After offering prayers to the holy siblings at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, the new Odisha Governor, Ram, told media persons that he would work for the development of the state in consultation and cooperation with everyone. Ram said he prayed to Lord Shree Jagannath for the progress and development of Odisha.
Meanwhile, extending his warm greetings and congratulations to Ram on assuming office as the Governor of Odisha, Odisha CM Majhi said, “Under the guidance of the Honourable Governor, Odisha’s journey towards development will gain further momentum. I wish him a successful tenure.”
Notably, Ram, the Dalit leader, comes from a farming family and has a long record of legislative and social service. He served as an MLA in undivided Bihar before being elected to the Lok Sabha from Palamu on three occasions — in 1996, 1998, and 1999. Apart from his electoral career, he has served as the in-charge of the State Scheduled Caste Morcha. He has also worked towards establishing educational institutions in Chandwa.
His appointment recognises his contribution to grassroots leadership, the empowerment of Dalit communities and decades of legislative and social work.
It is worth noting that Ram recently landed in controversy over his remarks on strengthening the BJP’s organisational base in Odisha and increasing the party’s vote share, shortly after being named the state’s new Governor.
–IANS
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