Odisha CM-designate Mohan Charan Majhi: A 4-time MLA who once slept on footpaths
Bhubaneswar: Odisha's Chief Minister-designate Mohan Charan Majhi hails from a diverse background including farming, teaching, and activism. The 52-year-old is set to become the first-time BJP Chief Minister of the eastern state.
Majhi, a four-time MLA from Keonjhar, has a long history of activism, including advocating for tribal rights and combating the mining mafia.
The four-time Keonjhar MLA shares his Santhal roots with India's first Adivasi President Droupadi Murmu. His selection as Chief Minister is seen by many as a strategic move by the BJP, especially in light of the upcoming elections in Jharkhand, where tribal representation holds significant sway.
Raised in Keonjhar South, Majh's journey to politics began with his involvement in student activism. He studied law and taught for a while at RSS-run Saraswati Shisu Vidya Mandir before plunging into politics as an elected sarpanch from 1997 to 2000, when he became MLA for the first time.
As secretary of BJP's Adivasi Morcha, Majhi quickly hit his straps and worked his way up the party ranks to become its chief whip in 2019. He previously had a stint as deputy chief whip when BJP was part of a coalition with BJD from 2005 to 2009.
On his return as Keonjhar MLA in 2019 after a decade since his last electoral victory in 2004, Majhi made headlines when he spoke in the assembly about being forced to spend several nights on a footpath due to delay in allotment of a govt quarter to him. Majhi told the then assembly speaker, S N Patro, that he couldn't rent a house at short notice, and his mobile phone was stolen while he was asleep in the open.
Now the administration is busy in finding a bungalow for the designated CM as former CM Naveen Patnaik has been staying in a private house for the past 24 years.
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Two men shot dead, one injured in firing incident in Punjab’s Batala
Chandigarh (PTI): Two persons were shot dead and one sustained injuries after unidentified persons opened fire at them in Punjab’s Batala late Monday night, police said.
The incident occurred in Bhoma village in Sri Hargobindpur subdivision.
Senior Superintendent of Police Batala, Mehtab Singh said some unidentified people opened fire at three persons who were on a walk.
The deceased were identified as Kashmir Singh and Jugraj Singh, according to the SSP. The injured, identified as another man named Jugraj Singh, has been admitted to a hospital.
Preliminary investigation revealed that there was no angle of extortion or any threat call in this incident, said the SSP.
Investigation in the matter is underway and CCTV footage in the area is being scanned, he said, adding that the culprits would soon be traced.
Police have initiated a thorough investigation and are making all efforts to identify and apprehend the accused at the earliest.
“Our teams are working on this case,” he said while replying to a question.
