Bhubaneswar, May 10: Union tribal affairs minister Jual Oram today said that he would not be interested for the chief minister's post if the BJP came to power in the state.

However, Oram said in the same vein that his party workers would want him to lead the government if the BJP formed it.

Oram made these observations on the sidelines of the party's Sundargarh district executive committee meeting held at Panposh today. "I never think anything for myself. I work for the party and my party thinks about me," he said.

Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan had also denied that he was an aspirant for the top post.

"In BJP, we work as workers...we don't see dreams. Whatever responsibility my party has given me, I am trying my best to deliver it," Pradhan had said.

Oram's statement is significant in view of the fact that a powerful section of the party had been projecting Pradhan as the party's poster boy in the state. Pradhan and Oram, who were not getting along well, are said to have come together particularly after the panchayat polls.

The BJD has been ruling the state for the fourth consecutive term. The BJP had also shared power with the BJD till 2009. The Naveen Patnaik-led party had, however, snapped its ties with the BJP after 2008 communal riots in Kandhamal. In the subsequent two elections, the BJP had been out of power. At present, the BJP occupies third position in the 147-member Assembly with a strength of 10 legislators.

However, the BJP has become optimistic about coming to power in 2019 elections after it bettered its performance in the February panchayat polls, by relegating the Congress to the third position. The spectacular success in UP Assembly elections has subsequently rekindled its hope.

With focus on Odisha, the party had held its national executive committee meeting on February 15-16 in Bhubaneswar. Upbeat over the Modi hype, the party has geared up its organisation to face the 2019 elections. The BJP held its state executive meet at Baripada, where the party had swept the panchayat polls.

The party has now started holding meetings at the district level. The Sundargarh district unit executive commttee was held to give a boost to the party cadres. However, former Union minister and Rourkela MLA Dillp Ray was conspicuous by his absence. Ray had been keeping aloof from the party affairs. Last year, he had skipped the state executive meet held in Rourkela city itself.

Asked about the reason of his absence today, Oram said, "He (Ray) is busy doing his business. But, he is with us and works for the party."

Sources said Ray has been sulking ever since he was facing CBI investigation on coal block allotment scam. "We don't have any role in the CBI probe against him. This is a case that has been continuing since UPA regime," said Oram.