Bhubaneswar, June 18: The first session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly commenced on Tuesday with the oath-taking ceremony for the newly-elected MLAs. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi was the first to take the oath, followed by Deputy Chief Ministers KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida.

Pro-tem Speaker Ranendra Pratap Swain administered the oath to the new members. The oath-taking ceremony will continue until tomorrow, with the election for the Speaker scheduled for June 20.

In keeping with tradition, MLAs, including the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers, paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi before taking their oaths. BJD president and Hinjili MLA Naveen Patnaik also took the oath along with several other MLAs.

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is set to hold its first legislature party meeting on Wednesday to unanimously elect BJD president Naveen Patnaik as the Leader of Opposition (LoP). A senior BJD leader is expected to be chosen as his deputy in the House.

According to sources, BJP’s Digapahandi MLA Sidhant Mohapatra arrived at the Odisha Assembly on a bicycle to take his oath.

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