
Odisha BJP likely to get new president by July 8
The formal notification for the president's election will be issued on July 6, said the statement issued by Balasore MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi, the party's state election officer.
The nominations will be accepted on July 7, while voting for the post of state president will be held on July 8, if required, it said. The names of the new state president and central council member will be declared on July 8 itself, it added.
Editorial: Sheer negligence: On the Puri stampede
The organisational election was put on hold due to the stampede during the Rath Yatra festival in Puri.
Several senior leaders are in the race for the post, with incumbent Manmohan Samal looking for another term, party insiders said.

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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
5L chit fund investors to get refunds in 4 months: Samal
1 2 Bhubaneswar: State govt will refund money to all eligible investors who were duped by chit fund companies, said state BJP president Manmohan Samal here on Friday. He said the BJP, in its election manifesto, promised the people of Odisha to refund money lost in chit fund scams. The govt has already refunded Rs 47 crore to 1.26 lakh chit fund depositors in a year. "A list of 5 lakh investors is ready, and they will get refunds in the next four months," he added. Samal said that due to dedicated efforts of the BJP govt, eligible beneficiaries affected by chit funds scam will get their money back. He expressed gratitude to chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi for the initiative. He said that trusting the BJD govt, people had invested their hard-earned money in various chit fund companies. "Unfortunately, the BJD govt betrayed their trust. A total of 174 chit fund companies swindled the people of Odisha. Many ministers, MPs, and MLAs from the BJD were allegedly involved in misappropriating public money under the guise of chit funds," he alleged. Samal said several BJD members and ministers were jailed in connection with the chit fund scam. "Thousands of eligible depositors, who invested in chit funds, were left in uncertainty, leading to a loss of public trust in the govt. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gold Is Surging in 2025 — Smart Traders Are Already In IC Markets Learn More Undo Following this, the Supreme Court intervened, leading to the formation of a corpus fund and a commission, but implementation was lacking, and the investigation report was not made public due to the questionable intentions of the BJD govt," he alleged. He said the BJP govt took immediate action to refund those affected by the chit fund scam. "The BJP govt is sensitive to the plight of the affected depositors and is committed to ensuring that all eligible people get their money back," he added. Samal said a system will be put in place to ensure that depositors can get their refunds by showing minimal proof. BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said Samal is suffering from selective amnesia. "Last month, he was telling that chit fund-related documents are missing. Now he is confidently telling the govt can refund money to all chit fund investors, which means the govt has all the documents. He is misleading the people," he added. Mohanty said the BJP govt recently said Rs 119 crore was refunded to 2.79 lakh chit fund investors between 2014 and 2024. "It proves the BJD govt was refunding the money of chit fund depositors. For the sake of opposing the BJD, Samal should not speak whatever he wants," he added.


Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Iskcon allowed to hold Rath Yatra, told to comply with police conditions
1 2 3 Vijayawada: The high court on Friday directed the representatives of Iskcon (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) to conduct the Rath Yatra on July 5, complying with conditions imposed by the police. The court said it is not inclined to interfere with the decision of the police as it is an issue involving law and order. Iskcon representatives moved the high court challenging the denial of police permission for the Rath Yatra. A single judge bench of the high court, after hearing the petition, earlier directed the police to give permission for the Rath Yatra. Challenging the orders, police preferred an appeal. Advocate general Dammalapati Srinivas said police denied permission as the proposed Rath Yatra is scheduled to be held on July 5, which is also the day Moharram is being observed, and police have already given permission for Moharram procession. Another reason for the denial of permission was that both the Moharram procession and the Rath Yatra are going on the same route, and there is a chance of a law and order problem if both processions intersect. Considering the submissions of the advocate general, the high court asked representatives of Iskcon to discuss an alternative route. On Friday, the advocate general told the high court that, pursuant to its orders, police suggested different times for holding the procession for different groups so that they won't cross each other. Considering the submissions, the HC bench headed by Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Ravi Cheemalapati observed that the issue is very sensitive and they are not inclined to interfere with the decision of the police. As the parties to the litigation came to an understanding, the HC disposed of the petition with an observation that the police can impose reasonable restrictions on the processions to ensure no untoward incidents take place.


Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Govt puts in place arrangements for incident-free Bahuda Yatra
1 2 Bhubaneswar: In the wake of the recent stampede outside Gundicha Temple that left three devotees dead, the govt on Friday said comprehensive arrangements have been made for smooth management of Bahuda Yatra in Puri on Saturday. The return journey will see Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra travel back from their birthplace at Gundicha Temple, where they had arrived during Rath Yatra. The deities are scheduled to enter Jagannath Temple on July 8 on the occasion of Niladri Bije. "We anticipate crowd similar to Rath Yatra during Bahuda Yatra. No stone has been left unturned to ensure hassle-free conduct of the key festival," said Puri district collector Chanchal Rana, who along with SP Pinak Mishra were appointed by the govt on June 29, hours after the stampede deaths. DGP Y B Khurania, who oversaw security arrangements in Puri on Friday, laid stress on effective crowd control. "We are fully prepared with our renewed crowd control, traffic and security arrangements. Officers who are assigned with specific duties have been instructed to remain extremely vigilant. We urge devotees to cooperate with us and adhere to traffic and crowd control protocols," Khurania said. Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) held a series of meetings with servitors, highlighting timely completion of rituals. CM Mohan Charan Majhi recently visited Puri and held a meeting with servitors, urging them to perform the rituals in a disciplined manner. As per the temple administration, Pahandi ritual of the deities is scheduled to start at 12pm during which the idols would be escorted from the Gundicha Temple onto the chariots amid a musical procession. Pahandi ritual is scheduled to end around 2:30pm. Puri king Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb is scheduled to perform his hereditary Chhera Pahanra ritual on the chariots between 2:30pm and 3:30pm. The chariot pulling ceremony is scheduled to commence around 4pm. On the eve of Bahuda Yatra, a large number of devotees thronged Gundicha Temple to offer prayers on the auspicious occasion of Sandhya Darshan on Friday. "There is a belief that darshan of the deities in Gundicha Temple on Sandhya Darshan is divine bliss. I cannot express my feelings," said Tanuja Mohapatra, a devotee from Bhubaneswar.