Bhubaneswar, July 29 (IANS) BJD President and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday appointed Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra as the party leader in the upper house of Parliament.
First-time MP Sulata Deo has been appointed as Chief Whip of the party in the house, BJD Organisational Secretary Pranab Prakash Das said in a statement.
Patra and Deo were elected to the Rajya Sabha unopposed and took oath on July 18 and July 8, respectively.
The post of BJD leader in the RS was lying vacant following completion of tenure of Prasanna Acharya. At present, the BJD has nine members in the house.
–IANS
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