The first BJP Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Odisha is facing the onerous task of matching the 24-year-old lasting legacy of former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Challenges are many for the 52-year-old four-time MLA, whose selection as chief minister on 11 June came as a surprise to political circles. The new chief minister is yet to allocate portfolios to the new members of the state cabinet and the delay has triggered speculation that Majhi is waiting for a nod from the top leadership.

When and how the incumbent CM sets everybody in good bonding right from the top leadership down to his cabinet colleagues and state party unit is a matter of speculation. Any lapse on his party may backfire on the new government in view the fact that a strong Opposition (BJD-51, Congres-15) will latch on to put the government on back foot.

To set the disorganised bureaucracy in order ahead of fulfilling the promises made in the election manifesto apparently stays top on Mohan Majhi Government’s governance agenda.

From all accounts, he made his presence in the party felt during his stint as MLA from 2019-2024 when he stole the limelight from party colleagues in the house proceedings in the wake of absence of two heavyweights due to health issues.

Majhi’s ascendance to the top post appears to have owed it to the tribal leader’s performance in the Assembly as he raised a slew of public issues much to the discomfiture of the previous Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government. With the media having a limited access to the house following restrictions clamped by the Patnaik government, it was Majhi who often briefed reporters on the sidelines of Assembly to highlight his party’s assault on the then government on corruption and bureaucracy-centric governance.

He was the principal face of BJP in the last Assembly. The ruling BJD often found it tough to tackle Majhi’s blistering attack on loot of mineral resources and fund bungling in the 5T transformation programme. The BJP’s Central leadership had then gauged the leadership qualities and nuances of political culture in Majhi.

Majhi, who has no ministerial experience, had captured the attention of party bigwigs much ahead of the polls. The 52-year-old Santhali leader started his political innings as a sarpanch in the late nineties from the mineral-rich Keonjhar district. Prior to that, he was a lowly-paid teacher in a private school run by the RSS.

The BJP, which replaced Congress as the principal Opposition party in 2019 Assembly polls, faced a crisis of sorts with Leader of Opposition Pradipta Naik out of house for a prolonged period due to Covid infection. Senior BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra who succeeded Naik as the Leader of Opposition also suffered health issues. The illness of two of the veteran party colleagues provided Majhi the opportunity to prove his mettle in Assembly debates.

Though many still believe Majhi was a surprise pick to head the state after the BJP stormed to power, analysts are of the view that the tribal leader’s rise in BJP’s hierarchy was very much on the card in view of his performance in the last Assembly to put the previous government on back foot on burning issues. His debates in the house were always replete with facts, figures and statistics to point out what had gone wrong with previous government policies and programme implementation.

He represented Keonjhar (ST) seat in 2000, 2004, 2009, 2019 and in 2024 when he defeated Minu Majhi of Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

Majhi was the Deputy Chief Whip in 13th Assembly and Chief Whip, BJP Legislature Party. Besides, he was the Chairman, Public Account Committee. Apart from this, he was appointed as member of different important Odisha Legislative Assembly Committees since 2000.