Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s sudden visit to New Delhi on Monday, just a day ahead of the Vice-President’s election, has sparked intense political speculation.

This is the second Delhi visit for Majhi within a week. He had returned from the national capital only last Friday, completing a five-day visit where he met a dozen BJP leaders, including several Union ministers. He had even met President Droupadi Murmu during that visit.

The call from the BJP leadership asking him to rush to Delhi has raised eyebrows in political circles. Majhi’s Delhi visit coincided with BJD president Naveen Patnaik’s visit to Delhi. Naveen, however, said that he would be in Delhi for “some social commitments.”

“Something is cooking. The BJP leadership wants to take Naveen into confidence and at the same time wants to send a message to Mohan Majhi about what his government’s approach should be towards Naveen,” said a political source.

The BJP state unit president Manmohan Samal is already in Delhi. The buzz in political circles is that the visits could be a precursor to the much-awaited expansion of the Mohan Charan Majhi ministry. Sources said that BJP MPs from Odisha and other leaders in Delhi had a meeting at the residence of former Union minister and Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi.

Sources said Majhi has already submitted the performance reports of his ministers to the central leaders. “The likelihood of some ministers being dropped on the basis of their performance cannot be ruled out. A possible rejig is also expected,” said a source.

The performance of some ministers has come under scrutiny in the wake of recent controversies that dented the reputation of the Majhi government. The controversies included the stampede deaths during the Rath Yatra in Puri and the self-immolation of a young college girl in Balasore, following allegations of sexual harassment.

“The presence of Majhi and Samal in Delhi speaks volumes. It suggests that the party leadership, immediately following the Vice-President’s poll, is likely to address various contentious issues, including the ministry reshuffle and filling up the vacancies in state-run corporations. Efforts would be made to keep every group happy by reaching a solution acceptable to all groups,” sources said.