Naveen Patnaik outside Raj Bhavan after meeting governor SC Jamir to stake claim to form the new government on Monday. Picture by Sanjib Mukerjee

Bhubaneswar, May 19: The time is ripe to speculate over cabinet formation with Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik announcing that he will take oath as chief minister on Wednesday.

With Naveen keeping cards close to his chest, the political circles in Odisha are agog with discussions about the faces he would like to induct in his council of ministers.

Among the stalwarts who failed to get themselves elected to the Assembly are ministers Prasanna Acharya, Rabi Narayan Nanda and Pratap Keshari Deb and two former ministers A.U. Singh Deo and Bijaya Ranjan Singh Bariha.

Naveen had denied tickets to two of his Cabinet colleagues — former finance minister Prafulla Ghadei and law minister Raghunath Mohanty.

A.U. Singh Deo, his Doon School mate and known for his proximity with Naveen, had resigned from the ministry following a hooch tragedy in 2012. Although he was elected to the Rajya Sabha earlier this year, Naveen made him contest from the Balangir constituency before he could take oath. Singh Deo was defeated in his stronghold by Congress veteran Narasingh Mishra.

Besides, two other ministers — Kalpataru Das and Sarojini Hembram — have been elected to the Upper House of Parliament. Party sources feel that Naveen’s will induct many new faces in the new cabinet. According to the norms, he can have a 21-member council of ministers.

Asked about the probable faces who are likely to make it to the cabinet this time, BJD vice–president Kalpataru Das said: “Party supremo Naveen Patnaik will take the final decision and constitute his government.”

Taking present permutation and combinations into account, party sources said the leadership would give fair representations to Kendrapara, Jajpur, Ganjam and Puri districts.

Though the BJD has managed to win the Lok Sabha seat in Kendrapara, the party lost three of the seven Assembly segments — Aul, Rajanagar and Salipur — to the Congress. The district used to be considered a BJD stronghold.

“Party heavyweight and minister Pratap Keshari Deb has lost the election. To regain the party’s lost base, it will have to induct a senior leader from the district to represent in the council of ministers,” said a veteran party leader.

From Jajpur district, the party used to have Prafulla Ghadei and later Kalpataru Das in his council of ministers. Das, a Rajya Sabha MP now, is considered to be a close confidant of Naveen and had played a key role in the party’s campaign. Naveen represents Ganjam district, where the party has won all the 13 Assembly seats.

A senior BJD leader said Naveen Patnaik had made it clear that development would continue to be his main plank. By all indications, he would prefer to have leaders with clean images and experience in his ministry.

“With the CBI now investigating the deposit collection scam, he would like to avoid giving importance to the leaders who had been linked to the scam,” the leader said.

“Adequate representation of the weaker section and tribal districts will also get priority. This time 10 women have made to the Assembly. He may give fair representation to women,” said another BJD veteran.