After Odisha New Governor's Remarks On Working For Party, Naveen Patnaik's Jab

A comment made by Odisha's newly appointed Governor Braj Mohan Ram even before he has taken oath has now raised a huge political controversy.

Ram, a Dalit leader from Jharkhand, has said he would strengthen the party organisation among the Scheduled Castes (SC) community in Odisha and also work towards ensuring that the BJP gets as many votes as possible.

Opposition parties have questioned him over the remarks that they said placed a huge doubt on the impartiality and constitutional role of the governor's office. A video of the governor-designate's comments have been shared widely on social media.

Odisha Congress chief Bhakta Charan Das led the Opposition's offensive against Ram over his controversial comments. "The constitutional duty of the governor is to impartially uphold the Constitution, not to advance the electoral interests of any political party," Das said.

He also shared the video on social media and pointed out that "constitutional offices must remain above partisan politics."

Former chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who heads the Biju Janata Dal, joined in condemning Ram over his remarks and took a swipe at him.

Patnaik said the people of Odisha can clearly see how eager the Governor-designate is to fulfill his "party obligations." Patnaik, at the same time, also expressed hope that the new governor would respect constitutional values and serve the people of Odisha with impartiality after taking oath.

The governor serves as the constitutional head of a state and is expected to maintain political neutrality.

Political analysts have pointed out that discussing the enhancement of votes for a specific political party - even before formally assuming the office of governor - provides the Opposition with an opportunity to question both the government and the role of the governor.

Ram is a three-time former BJP MP. He succeeded Hari Babu Kambhampati, who had assumed charge on January 3, 2025.

The friction between the Centre and the governments of states not ruled by the BJP has often been a subject of intense debate over the years. In the past, from Kerala to West Bengal, the then state governments had alleged unnecessary interference by governors. The Centre had rubbished the allegations.