File picture of Naveen Patnaik. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, May 28: A week after chief minister Naveen Patnaik constituted his new ministerial team, he appointed ruling BJD leaders and activists as chairpersons of government-run corporations and other bodies.

While nine BJD functionaries were appointed as the heads of corporations and regional planning bodies, a youth leader Lelin Mohanty was reappointed as editor of the government mouthpiece Odisha Review.

Senior BJD leader from Rayagada district N. Bhaskar Rao was reappointed as the chairman of Odisha Small Industries Corporation. Rao was the head of the corporation last time. During Rajya Sabha elections, a section of the party leaders were lobbying for his nomination.

BJD general secretary Narendra Kumar Swain was chosen for the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation for the second time. Swain has been looking after party’s organisational affairs for last several years.

Known trade union leader from Cuttack, Subash Singh, who had switched over from the CPM to the BJD on the eve of polls, was rewarded with the post of chairperson of Odisha State Construction Workers’ Welfare Fund. Till this assignment, he was the BJD general secretary. Earlier, construction workers, who were in unorganised sector, are now organised and considered as a major vote bank. At present, there are 2.66 lakh registered construction workers in the state whose number is expected to go up to 10 lakh.

Leader of kendu leaf workers Jogendra Tripathy was appointed chief of the Odisha State Seeds Corporation. There are around 9 lakh kendu leaf workers in the state. Earlier, Tripathy was the head of State Construction Welfare Fund and played an instrumental role in organising construction workers.

Naveen rewarded Tejeswar Parida, a New Delhi-based party activist who had organised the movement demanding special category state status to Odisha, with the post of president of Odisha Khadi and Village Industries Board. Earlier, Nagendra Pradhan, who has been elected to Lok Sabha, was holding the post.

Filmstar-turned-politician from Nabarangpur Mujjibulla Khan aka Muna Khan has been reappointed as head of the Odisha Film Development Corporation.

Similarly, former Sambalpur district BJD president Bijoy Mohanty will remain chairman of Sambalpur Development Authority. Ganjam district president Subash Moharana was appointed as his counterpart in Berhampur. Moharana replaced Kailash Rana.

BJD’s youth wing secretary Shrimayee Mishra has been made head of the Mahila Vikash Nigam.